Morgan and Lake lead the charge across the Severn Bridge as Welsh influence grows

The Gallagher PREM feels more Welsh than at any point in its 30-season history, even in the two seasons that London Welsh were in the top division in England.

Sure, plenty of Welsh players have played in the PREM in the past – the Bath front-row pair, Jon Humphreys and Paul James, used to car share for the commute over the Severn Bridge, while northern clubs Sale and Leeds often looked that way in their recruitment. But not in the same quantity, or quality, as now.

Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, who’ve captained their country within the past 12 months, were two of the headline acts of the summer transfer activity, swapping Ospreys for Gloucester.

Both wasted no time in proving their worth on an opening weekend when 16 capped Welsh internationals took to the field, the most of any nation outside of England.

Morgan was everywhere at Sandy Park, making hard yards, tackles and stealing ball, as he does, while Lake literally led from the front with a couple of maul tries.

Leicester, meanwhile, fielded an all-Welsh back row of ex-Dragon Aaron Wainwright – another tempted to leave home behind, Tommy Reffell and Olly Cracknell – in their high-scoring loss at home to Saracens. Gabe Hamer-Webb even managed to outdo fellow winger and Welshman Louis Rees-Zammit by scoring three tries to the Bristol flyer’s two in their win at Sale Sharks.

Sale had three Welshmen of their own in front-row duo, Nicky Smith and Tomas Francis, and loose forward Christ Tshiunza.

Four years ago on the opening weekend of the PREM season, there were only four  senior Welsh internationals in the respective matchday 23s, and one of those Sam Cross (Newcastle) was capped in sevens, not 15s, and the league had two more teams in it.

Since then, probably because of the lack of job security in an unstable Welsh rugby landscape, more top-end players have looked to ply their trade in England and leave regional rugby behind.

The number of capped Welshman who played in the opening round has increased year-on-year since 2023/24, with 12 in round one in 2024/25, 13 at that stage of the competition in 2025/26, and now 16.

If Louie Hennessey (Bath) and Josh Hathaway (Gloucester) had been available, for example, the number could have been even higher.

Only three of the seven PREM clubs didn’t have a single Welsh capped international in their matchday 23s in round one – Harlequins, Newcastle and champions Northampton.

Harlequins have preferred to do their summer shopping in South America instead, with four Pumas involved in their opening night defeat to Bath.

Argentina is the third most popular country after Wales, with 11 overall, Scotland taking second place on 12.

No other nation gets anywhere near to double figures, but overall the capped foreign legion contingent amounts to 58 players – two more than the number of England internationals who were actively involved last weekend.

Nearly half of the capped England internationals in round one came from three clubs – Bath (9), Sale (9) and Northampton (8).

While Welsh players of the highest order appear more popular than ever before, it is instructive of where rugby is in the Pacific right now that internationals from that part of the world are few and far between.

When you think back over the years, Pacific Island players have contributed massively to the league, with the likes of Seru Rabeni, Simon Raiwalui, Michael Tagicakibau, Seilala Mapasua, Nicky Little and more recently, Sam Matavesi, to name but a few, all leaving a massive imprint.

But now, Fiji (Elia Canakaivata, Sale Sharks and Eroni Mawi, Saracens) and Tonga (Sam Moli and Solomone Kata, both Leicester) kicked off the latest PREM season with only two players apiece, while Bristol’s ageing back-row warrior Steven Luatua was Samoa’s sole representative.

Even African minnows Zimbabwe had as many as Fiji and Tonga, and would have had more had Edward Sigauke played for Harlequins against Bath.

League of Nations – non-English capped internationals in Round 1 of the PREM

Wales (16): Archie Griffin (Bath), Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol), Dafydd Jenkins, Kane James (Exeter), Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan, Freddie Thomas (Gloucester), Gabe Hamer-Webb, Aaron Wainwright, Tommy Reffell, Olly Cracknell (Leicester), Nicky Smith, Tomas Francis, Christ Tshiunza (Sale), Nick Tompkins, Tomos Williams (Saracens).

Scotland (12): Josh Bayliss, Finn Russell, Cam Redpath (Bath), Tom Jordan (Bristol), Will Hurd, Cam Henderson (Leicester), Chris Harris, Elliot Millar Mills (Newcastle), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton), Arron Reed, Gus Warr (Sale), Fergus Burke (Saracens).

Argentina (11): Santi Carreras (Bath), Pedro Rubiolo, Benjamin Grondonna (Bristol), Pedro Delgado, Boris Wenger, Rodrigo Isgro, Guido Petti (Harlequins), Joaquin Moro (Leicester), Franco Molina, Simón Benítez Cruz (Newcastle), Juan Martín González (Saracens).

Italy (3): Stephen Varney (Gloucester), Danilo Fischetti, Ion Neculai (Northampton)

Australia (2): Harry Johnson-Holmes (Harlequins), Josh Kemeny (Northampton)

Fiji (2): Elia Canakaivata (Sale Sharks), Eroni Mawi (Saracens)

Ireland (2): Kieran Marmion (Bristol), Jean Kleyn* (Gloucester).

New Zealand (2): Steven Luatua* (Bristol), Hoskins Sototu (Newcastle)

South Africa (2): Dan du Preez (Bath), Jean Kleyn (Gloucester)

Tonga (2): Sam Moli, Solomone Kata (Leicester)

Zimbabwe (2): Lovejoy Chawatama (Bristol), Cleopas Kundiona (Northampton)

France (1): Anthony Belleau (Northampton)

Georgia (1): Luka Ivanishvili (Bristol)

Samoa (1): Steven Luatua (Bristol)

USA (1): AJ MacGinty (Bristol)

*dual internationals