Dewi Lake is part of a Wales side that Steve Tandy is already preparing to change before next Saturday’s Test against South Africa. The coach has moved quickly after the 35-21 defeat by Argentina in San Juan, with selection now the immediate issue for the squad that travelled on to Durban on Sunday.
Eddie James in Wales midfield
The sharpest decision point sits in the middle of the field. Wales made only three line breaks against Argentina, while Argentina produced 12, and the midfield pairing of Joe Hawkins and Eddie James has not yet given Wales the fluency they need in attack.
Matt Sherratt has built his system around a second playmaker at inside centre, which leaves Tandy weighing whether the current combination is enough against South Africa. Eddie James, 23 years old, is seen as wasted at 13, and that pushes the argument towards moving him closer to the ball. If Wales want more go-forward through the centre, the simplest read is that the shape around James has to change, not just the names around him.
Max Llewellyn and Dewi Lake
Max Llewellyn gives Tandy another option. At 6ft 5in and more than 17st, he offers a different kind of midfield presence, and there is a compelling case for pairing him with James against South Africa. The catch is that Llewellyn has yet to establish himself consistently at Test level, so any switch would be a calculated move rather than a routine swap.
That leaves Wales with a familiar problem: they need more ballast in midfield, but the supply of players who can provide it is limited. Tandy has a short window to settle on the balance between physical gain and attacking rhythm, with the final call due before the South Africa Test. Dewi Lake sits inside that wider selection picture, but the more immediate question is whether James and Hawkins stay together or whether Wales finally reshape the centre to match the challenge in Durban.
