Wales captain and departing Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake has described the decision to leave his hometown club as a “tough decision.”

Lake, who appeared alongside Alex Cuthbert and Dillon Lewis on the latest Sportin Wales podcast, spoke publicly for the first time after his move to English PREM side Gloucester was confirmed.

Lake, along with another Wales captain Jac Morgan, announced their double move to the West Country club, with the transfers sparking fears that more players would be leaving not only Ospreys, but Welsh rugby has a whole.

With budgets tighter than ever, and uncertainty around the future of each of the four regions, Lake explained that the “lack of clarity” around the situation in the game was a contributing factor.

“It obviously wasn’t an easy decision,” Lake explained.

“When you factor in the things that are going on off the field at the minute and the lack of clarity in whether we’re going to be a region next year, there’s not much stability there at the moment.

“It’s tough to leave but ultimately, you’ve got to secure a contract and your future.”

Lake has played 71 games for Ospreys to date, as well as appearing in the red of Wales 26 times, scoring six tries.

The hooker has been a key player for club and country for since the 2023 World Cup, where he captained the side alongside Morgan.

Lake skippered Wales in the absence of his Ospreys teammate in the final three matches of the Autumn Internationals, as well as the summer tour of Japan.

“[The move] was a tough decision because you never want to leave the club you started out at,” Lake said on the podcast.

“The staff and the boys are always the toughest things to leave. We’ve got a good group of boys that I’ve been with since I came through. The coaches as well, a lot of them were my coaches at U18 level.

“That’s the hard bit to leave isn’t it. The people that you form good bonds and friendships with. The fans as well have been class over the years, too.”

Lake spoked candidly about how his decision to leave Ospreys came about, saying that he first considered a move when the Union’s announcement to cut a region was published in late October.

“It was probably ongoing really from when that announcement first came from the Union about looking to cut team from four to three,” Lake revealed.

“Then the added news that we’re probably looking at one of Ospreys or Scarlets being the ones battling it out to stay.

“I think we probably haven’t had much news or development in terms of what’s happening since then. It’s a tough spot to be in.”

At that point in the conversation, Dragons prop and co-host Lewis commented that “no player” should be in the position that Lake and others find themselves in, with regards to the uncertainty around the game and contract expiring in a matter of months.

“No one can blame you as a player, though,” Lewis added.

“At no point should some of our best players be pushed into the position where you’ve coming through the Ospreys academy, you love playing for the Ospreys, that decision shouldn’t have made it to this point.

“I don’t think supporters and staff should point the finger and blame you at all.”

The news that Lake and Morgan were both leaving the Ospreys to join Gloucester was confirmed on Monday 15^th, with the reaction from the vast majority of Welsh rugby negative, not towards the players, but the Union for, as Lewis said, “being pushed into the position [to leave].”

“If anything, it probably highlights more what is going on, doesn’t it,” Lake said.

“Jac maybe feels that way as well, but obviously I can only speak for myself with what’s going on. We’ve had little discussions and conversations around trying to stay, but again, the uncertainty of it all still hangs over you.”

Cuthbert also asked Lake whether the Union engaged in talks with the Wales international, as well as his club, to try and persuade him to stay.

“More Ospreys, really,” Lake added.

“But again, they’re not really sure about what kind of position they’re going to be in next year either. I know it was very tough for them to be able to put contracts on the table with everything that is going on.

“Like I said, it’s not an easy decision, but it’s one that I feel I’ve got to take.”

Lewis also confirmed that his current club – Dragons RFC – have also struggled to offer contracts to players due to the ongoing uncertainty.

“It’s hard for [Ospreys] to keep you, it just doesn’t seem fair,” Lewis said.

“We’ve had similar conversations at the Dragons. We’ve not had the extent of what you and Scarlets have had, but the club are still in a position where they can’t offer players contracts because of the uncertainty.

“It’s affecting all the regions, some more than others.

“In the last six or seven years of me being in regional rugby, there have always been issues with being able to offer boys contracts because regions didn’t know their budgets for the following years.”

“I’ve come as Jac’s assistant!” Dewi joked.

“Boys are calling us Mark Overmars and Emmanuel Petit now for coming as a package deal. We won’t go anywhere without each other!”

Lake added that he is looking forward to testing himself in a new league, highlighting the large Welsh contingent in the squad. Freddie Thomas, Tomos Williams, Max Llewellyn, and Josh Hathaway are all regulars for the Cherry and Whites and have been a part of recent Wales squads.

“Very excited, it’s an exciting league, a big league,” Lake said.

“New opportunity for me, leaving a place where I’m really comfortable and going out of my comfort zone a bit to test myself in a new league, new environment.

“I’m excited, but not ready to go just yet.”

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