Wales Captain Appeals to Fans for Crucial Six Nations Support
Wales captain Dewi Lake has issued a passionate plea to supporters ahead of Saturday's Six Nations clash with Scotland at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Following a record defeat by France last week, Wales are mired in a 13-match losing streak in the tournament, while Scotland arrive buoyed by their impressive Calcutta Cup victory over England.
The Heartbeat of the Nation
Lake described the Millennium Stadium, now known as the Principality Stadium, as "the heartbeat of the nation" when filled with raucous support. "You speak about people being a 16th man, especially in this stadium with the roof closed," said the hooker. "When it erupts I think it is the heartbeat of the nation. It's our job to get people rocking, to get people enjoying the game and putting smiles on faces. All we ask for in return is the support and noise, and people feeding us that energy."
Wales's last home victory in the Six Nations came against Scotland in 2022, making this weekend's match particularly significant for reversing their fortunes.
Defensive Focus After Conceding 102 Points
The Welsh team has conceded 102 points while scoring only 19 in their first two championship matches, failing to secure a bonus point. Lake acknowledged the defensive shortcomings but emphasized improvement during training under Steve Tandy.
"We've played two of the top-four teams in the world in the first two rounds but that's not an excuse over the tries we've conceded," Lake stated. "We know we need to be better. But our game is developing. We've worked very hard defensively this week, getting off the line a bit more and getting a bit wider. We were getting a bit too tight around rucks. A lot of hard work has gone in."
France Strengthens Pack for Italy Challenge
Meanwhile, France prepares to host Italy in Lille on Sunday, with coach Fabien Galthié bolstering his forward pack in response to Italy's strong start. The Azzurri have already beaten Scotland and pushed Ireland close in their opening matches.
Galthié's Tactical Adjustments
Galthié has recalled towering locks Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou to the starting XV, adding physical presence against Italy's formidable scrum. "The scrum is subtle, it's about feelings, connections – it's about precision," Galthié explained. "Italy have shown a collective strength and a collective ability in the scrum, and we expect a huge challenge there."
Six of France's forward pack play for Toulouse, highlighting their cohesion. The backline remains unchanged from the victory over Wales, featuring captain Antoine Dupont at scrum-half, Matthieu Jalibert at fly-half, and Thomas Ramos at full-back.
Italy's Psychological Edge
Italy makes one change, with Ange Capuozzo returning at full-back. Fly-half Paolo Garbisi reflected on last year's 13-13 draw in Lille, where his last-minute penalty hit the post. "It is something I will unfortunately never forget – it will always be there in a corner of my head," Garbisi admitted. "More than anything it's regret for the boys. I wanted to repay them for all the effort they put in."
This weekend's matches promise high drama as Wales seek to break their losing streak with fan support, while France and Italy battle in a crucial Six Nations encounter.
