The Wales captain was in upbeat mood at the tournament’s media launch in Edinburgh, even as the game in the country continues to be engulfed in chaos away from the pitch.
After losing their last 11 Six Nations matches and 21 of their past 23 Tests overall, Wales head into the 2026 championship under head coach Steve Tandy, searching for renewal.
For skipper Lake, the arrival of a new coaching group and a reshaped squad has helped refocus minds ahead of the opener against England at Twickenham on February 7.
"With a new coaching staff and a new squad coming together, it does feel like a fresh start for us," says Lake.
"Steve has already put a lot of emphasis on the values he wants to instil in the group, and that’s been really positive.
"That first game against England is going to be massive for us, a real chance to test ourselves against the best. Momentum is huge in this tournament, so anything we can take from that game, we’ll look to carry forward.
"It’s a huge game, and it’s not really one you need to talk up too much – it kind of speaks for itself.
“The mindset side of it is almost taken care of for you, because you know exactly what’s at stake."
Wales’ preparations have again been overshadowed by turmoil within the domestic game.
The Welsh Rugby Union is in the midst of restructuring the professional landscape, having claimed that the four-region model is no longer financially viable.
That process could yet see one professional side disappear.
The latest flashpoint came with Ospreys owners Y11 Sport and Media being named as the preferred bidder to take over Cardiff, who entered administration in April 2025.
While the regions would continue as separate teams under the proposal, the Ospreys have only been given guarantees until the end of the 2026-27 season, with the WRU keen to reduce the number of men’s professional regions from four to three.
Lake, who will leave Ospreys for Gloucester at the end of the season, is one of seven players from the Swansea-based region in the Wales squad.
He acknowledged the off-field issues but believes the Six Nations offers the chance to reset.
"There’s a lot going on in Welsh rugby at the moment, but for us it’s about focusing on the job at hand and concentrating on our rugby," he said.
"That’s the only way we can put our best foot forward and play our best rugby in this campaign.
"With new coaches and new ideas coming in, it does feel like a breath of fresh air, and hopefully we can hit the ground running."
Lake described the championship as an opportunity to block out the noise.
“Obviously it’s a tough situation for everyone to find out in the week (about the takeover),” he said.
“It probably is quite a welcome distraction, having the ability to throw yourself into matches or watch the opposition and doing your analysis for the weekend.
“Having the opportunity to step on the field and represent your country in one of the best competitions in the world is only going to take your mind away from things happening off the field.
“It’s also massive fuel for the fire for us. What’s going on off-field affects everyone in our group.
“Something like that can only rally your group, make you tighter together.”
Supporters of both Ospreys and Cardiff staged protests during United Rugby Championship fixtures over the weekend, lighting up their phones to show opposition to the WRU’s plans.
Ospreys head coach Mark Jones praised fans for “showing solidarity”.
Despite the backdrop, Lake believes the squad is well equipped to handle the emotional strain as Wales look to recover from two consecutive winless Six Nations campaigns, following a 73-0 home hammering by South Africa in November.
Asked about the challenge of captaining the side amid such instability, he adds: “There’s not much managing needed really in terms of how boys deal with things like this, because it’s quite personal.
“It’s instability, boys will have families and deal with things differently.
“The only thing I will deal with is that come game time everyone is switched on.
“The group and environment we’ve built will take care of itself, I don’t think there will be too much of a hangover.”
Tandy, meanwhile, has praised the openness within the squad as Wales attempt to turn the page.
He said: “The boys have been unbelievable. In the autumn there were other things going on as well but, for me, it’s been about being speaking to the players and being up front with them.
“If they’ve got something to share, rather than it being elephant in the room and no-one talking about it, we encourage them to speak.”
