Wales' Dewi Lake poised for position switch to save injury-hit Ospreys

Wales co-captain Dewi Lake is set to switch from his usual position of hooker to openside flanker for the first time since age-grade rugby to help his injury-hit Ospreys side.

With the 24-year-old's fellow Wales co-captain Jac Morgan out of action for the coming weeks alongside Justin Tipuric and Harri Deaves, he will make the move from the front to the back row when the Ospreys host Perpignan in the Challenge Cup tomorrow at Swansea.com Stadium. Fellow Wales international Sam Parry will hold onto the No2 jersey, having started there in the Ospreys' last outing against Cardiff on New Year's Day in the United Rugby Championship.

Lake will form a back row alongside James Ratti at blindside flanker and rising star of Welsh rugby Morgan Morse at No8 as the Ospreys seek to boost their chances of making the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup ahead of a tricky fixture to take on the Lions next week in Johannesburg.

This may provide food for thought for Wales head coach Warren Gatland ahead of the Six Nations, although Wales are well stocked in back row options despite their current absentees.

Ospreys XV

15. Iestyn Hopkins

14. Mat Protheroe

13. George North

12. Owen Watkin

11. Keelan Giles

10. Dan Edwards

9. Luke Davies

1. Gareth Thomas

2. Sam Parry

3. Tom Botha

4. James Fender

5. Adam Beard ©

6. James Ratti

7. Dewi Lake

8. Morgan Morse

Replacements

16. Ethan Lewis

17. Garyn Phillips

18. Ben Warren

19. Lewis Jones

20. Will Hickey

21. Cameron Jones

22. Jack Walsh

23. Keiran Williams