Reeling from more financial strain, and still seeking a new head coach, Wales' summer tour of Japan may offer shafts of light.
Some suggest Andy Farrell’s class of 2025 could be a Wales-free zone, but who has the best chance of touring?
Fighting fires at every level, Welsh rugby is in a rut and there doesn't seem to be any easy escape routes
South African World Cup winner Schalk Burger has picked former England captain Owen Farrell as his preferred choice to start for the British and Irish Lions against Australia later this year.
Former Wales boss Warren Gatland has said that he was trying to get Wales into best possible shape for the World Cup during his time in charge, something their interim coach Matt Sherratt does not need to focus on.
Despite a tortuous losing run, an upturn in attacking ambition has Matt Sherratt's men dreaming of an unlikely win in Cardiff
Matt Sherratt put a spring in the step of every Welsh supporter against Ireland but he is wary of any regression up in Edinburgh