Wales unveils autumn squad led by Dewi Lake for Fiji, Australia, South Africa matches

Wales has announced a 35-man squad for their autumn rugby campaign, which includes matches against Fiji, Australia, and South Africa. Coach Warren Gatland highlighted the importance of building momentum and self-belief among players as they prepare for the upcoming tests and potential selection for next summer's British & Irish Lions tour to Australia. With a youthful squad featuring 16 uncapped players or those with limited experience, Dewi Lake has been appointed captain. Gatland expressed excitement about the emerging talent and the need for confidence, particularly after a significant loss of experienced players since last year's World Cup. The team is set to engage in their first match shortly, and Gatland indicated that performance in the preliminary game would likely dictate the remainder of the autumn campaign without major changes to the squad. Dewi Lake leads after previously captaining during a challenging series against Australia in July. While promising, key players like No 8 Faletau and wing Adams remain focused on recovering from their club commitments and may not feature in competitive play initially. Gatland acknowledged the recent positive form of scrum-half Williams and centre Max Llewellyn with Gloucester, yet he noted a strategic shift in playing style for Wales, favoring structured play over high-scoring, free-flowing rugby. This structured gameplay is aimed at improving overall results as they face formidable international opponents in the upcoming tests.