Wales take on Eddie Jones\u2019 Japan side on Saturday\u00a0off the back of a second successive Six Nations whitewash and will be desperate to end a\u00a0run of 17 consecutive Test defeats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Results have seen Wales slump down the world rankings to 12th, only one place above Japan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Interim head coach Matt Sherratt will be in charge once more for the two-Test series in the Far East having taken over from Warren Gatland during the Six Nations Championship in February, with no set date for a successor named.<\/p>\n
Lake has taken over the captaincy, with Ospreys team-mate Jac Morgan on British and Irish Lions duty in Australia for the series which gets under way in Kitakyushu on Saturday, July 5 and concludes in Kobe a week later.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Ospreys hooker having led Wales during the tour of Australia and the Autumn Nations Series in 2024, insists that the squad named are very much playing for places to impress the next regime and must perform in Japan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got a job to do on the back of a big losing run,\u201d said Lake.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not to think about what\u2019s down the line. If we go out there and don\u2019t do a job, we might not be here for the next round of coaches.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to focus on the rugby and the task at hand, which is to win a Test match \u2013 It\u2019s massive, there\u2019s business to be done.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a tough test. All focus is on the here and now. We\u2019ve got to do that in Japan and set things right.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re by no means underestimating the edge they\u2019re going to bring. They\u2019re a dangerous side and caused a lot of upsets in very recent memory.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re playing on home soil so I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll take a lot of confidence in that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re 13th for a reason and we\u2019re 12th for a reason, so it\u2019s going to be a big battle.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Much has been made of the conditions awaiting Wales, with extreme heat and humidity expected for two mid-afternoon kick-offs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Japan boss Jones has stated he wants his side to run Wales off their feet, which is a tactic Lake says he will not be shocked at.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve heard rumours it\u2019s going to be another level,\u201d said Lake.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve done our heat work and trained hard to replicate the weather here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes you can overthink these things and a bit of doubt creeps in, you start to worry. We\u2019re just focused on getting on the field.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know the style of rugby they like to play.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know they play with very quick ball. It\u2019s our job to slow it down as they\u2019ll want to play with speed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019ll stress our defence, but that\u2019s our job to slow it down, put a stop to them and make sure we can be the dominant team out there. But we understand what they\u2019re going to bring.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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