Reeling from more financial strain, and still seeking a new head coach, Wales' summer tour of Japan may offer shafts of light.
Ospreys will face Lyon in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals after triumphing 36-14 against Scarlets at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Fighting fires at every level, Welsh rugby is in a rut and there doesn't seem to be any easy escape routes
Despite a tortuous losing run, an upturn in attacking ambition has Matt Sherratt's men dreaming of an unlikely win in Cardiff
Warren Gatland is shy of quality in some areas but the Wales coach's Six Nations picks must deliver if he is to keep his job.
The ballad of Archie Griffin and the sorry state of the four regions underscore the need for a revamp across the Welsh game.
Wales are without a Test victory since the 2023 World Cup.
Warren Gatland is said to be privately optimistic that with a raft of experience returning and maturing youngsters, Wales will be competitive
Having a legendary player or partnership in a team does not often create too many problems, but one may be that it takes years, and sometimes generations, to find replacements.