Lake put pen to paper on his new contract before heading off to skipper his country at the World Rugby Championship where Wales face hosts Argentina on Tuesday.
Winner of the most improved elite development player at last month’s Ospreys end-of-season awards, 20-year old Lake follows in the footsteps of his national team colleagues, Harri Morgan and Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, who have also signed senior contracts.
Lake began his rugby as a child with Valley Ravens before playing for Bridgend Sports.
“It’s a massive honour for me” said Lake after committing to the Ospreys.
“You dream about signing your first contract as a little boy. I’m looking to make a mark next season now. I’ve had a good two years since switching to hooker and it’s all starting to come together so I’m very happy to be where I am with all the effort and time the Ospreys have put in to me.”
A late entrant into the Ospreys Academy system, Lake came into the Under-18 set-up during the second year of age grade rugby as a flanker. His potential to play in the front row was identified soon afterwards leading to a switch of position to hooker late in 2017.
It’s a switch that has certainly paid off to date.
Featuring in the Principality Premiership for Bridgend Ravens in 2017/18, Lake made his only senior Ospreys appearance so far at the end of that season, away to Zebre in the Guinness PRO14.
He then headed to his first Junior World Championship in France last summer.
Continuing his development this season, Lake featured five times for the Ospreys development team in the Celtic Cup as well as appearing regularly in the white of Swansea RFC.
His progress can be seen in his growing status as national age-grade captain. He impressed during the Six Nations championship when taking over the captaincy reins from Tommy Reffell who suffered a hamstring injury in the first game of the campaign against France and has been entrusted with the role for the forthcoming competition.
Dan Griffiths, Ospreys rugby general manager, said: “Dewi has worked extremely hard and this contract is recognition of the progress he has made. He didn’t feature in the regional age grade programme until year two of the Under-18’s, but quickly established himself as a stand-out player with his aggressive, physical performances.
“Originally a back-row, it was decided Dewi had both the game and stature to play professional rugby as a hooker. To his credit, a couple of years after making that transition he has gone on to lead his country and put in some excellent performances in the process.
“Dewi will agree he has a lot of hard work ahead to establish himself in what is a position of strength for the Ospreys, but we are excited about his potential.”
