Head coach Warren Gatland says his facet need to embrace the problem of attempting to keep away from turning into the primary Wales group to complete backside of the Six Nations in 21 years.
Wales will face Italy in a Picket Spoon decider after France claimed a 45-24 Six Nations victory on the Principality Stadium.
It was a fourth defeat of this Six Nations marketing campaign for Gatland’s facet.
Wales haven’t misplaced each match in a single event since 2003.
Italy, buoyed by a surprising success towards Scotland, know in the event that they repeat their Cardiff win of two years in the past subsequent Saturday, Wales will prop up the ultimate desk.
Even a Wales win towards the Azzurri in Cardiff subsequent weekend may not be sufficient to keep away from ending all-time low.
“It is large, however we have got to be excited and embrace that problem,” stated Gatland.
“You may’t conceal away from it. I’ve by no means finished that, you’ll be able to’t go into your shell.
“There’s going to be a whole lot of exterior stress and expectation. Worldwide rugby is all the time about that.
“We have got to entrance up and ensure we work arduous subsequent week to offer a efficiency at dwelling.
“You may’t simply not speak about it. We stated within the altering rooms afterwards we have to be higher, particularly in these large moments.
“We have got to entrance up subsequent week in coaching and we all know how necessary it’s for us subsequent week that we win.”
Gatland praised the Italy victory towards Scotland and know they’ll arrive in Wales filled with confidence.
“I believed it was a superb efficiency from Italy,” stated Gatland.
“It was good for the event as properly, having a whole lot of groups below stress and having a whole lot of jeopardy.
“It creates pleasure. They’re a group that hangs in there and after they do get alternatives, they have been good at taking them and conserving the scoreboard ticking over.
“Bodily, they’re in fairly good condition by way of competing at this degree.
“It is going to be a problem for us and it will be large for them, as a result of they will be considering they will end of their very best place within the Six Nations with a superb efficiency subsequent week.
“We positively do not wish to end on the backside and we wish to come away with a win. So it turns into fairly necessary for us.”
Wales managed tries towards France from Rio Dyer, Tomos Williams and Joe Roberts who fashioned a new-look centre partnership with Owen Watkin, after Nick Tompkins and George North had been dropped.
“I do know rather a lot was made in regards to the centres and as a mixture they did okay,” stated Gatland.
“They will study from that, defensively about among the line pace.
“We’re attempting to combine folks, with out being too radical with the modifications, but additionally giving these guys an opportunity at this degree.”
Gatland defined why he selected to vary half-backs Sam Costelow and Tomos Williams for Ioan Lloyd and Gareth Davies simply earlier than the hour mark when Wales had been main.
“It was about simply getting some contemporary legs on,” stated Gatland.
“I believed Gareth Davies would possibly convey one thing a little bit bit extra defensively.
“We have been happy with Ioan by way of him approaching and getting the ball by his palms as an attacking menace.
“I believed Sam Costelow had a superb recreation. We have been engaged on him, by way of some width.
“We wish to get him wider and be extra of an attacking and working menace.
“I believed he was rather a lot higher in that space in the present day. After we saved the ball, run arduous and problem them, and received some offloads away, I believed that was when he seemed harmful.
“There have been a number of elements of that recreation that had been moderately good in the present day. We had been in entrance however sadly, we in all probability capitulated a little bit bit within the final quarter-hour.”
Flanker Tommy Reffell was pressured off within the second half with a knee damage and Gatland says he might be “assessed over the subsequent day or so”.