Wales boss Warren Gatland faces a selection balancing act this week when he contemplates his team to face fellow Six Nations struggler Italy.
If Scotland tears up the form book and avoids defeat in Ireland next Saturday, then the Millennium Stadium losers will be this season's wooden spoon recipient.
Wales' 27-12 defeat against Ireland - its heaviest Six Nations loss of the Gatland coaching reign - consigned them to a finish outside the top three.
Gatland's hand could be strengthened by the probable availability of British and Irish Lions trio Mike Phillips, Gethin Jenkins and Ryan Jones after injuries.
But he must also decide whether or not to go for youth, with Ospreys first five-eighths Dan Biggar and Cardiff Blues flanker Sam Warburton in the squad and thirsting for action.
When Wales faced Italy last season, Gatland made nine changes from the side edged out by France a fortnight earlier - and his team delivered a stuttering 20-15 success.
The New Zealander is unlikely to opt for so many switches this time around, but several players will be sweating on their places following a sub-standard display at Croke Park.
"Italy is a massive game and we have to finish the tournament on a high," said Wales lock Luke Charteris.
"It is going to be a tough week for us, but we have to prove we are a better side next weekend than we showed against Ireland."
Wales was outscored 3-0 on tries in Dublin, while fullback Lee Byrne's first-half yellow card saw Ireland claim two touchdowns in his 10-minute absence.
"We have to learn the game more when we are down to 14 men," added Charteris.
"In some games you are going to lose a man, and sometimes it can't be helped.
"It is how you react to that and it is down to the players on the field. We have reacted poorly in two games [Alun-Wyn Jones was sin-binned against England with Wales conceding 17 points while he was on the sidelines] and it is up to the rest of us to cope with things.
"We let ourselves down, and we are gutted by that."
Flanker Martyn Williams, who took over as skipper from injured captain Ryan Jones, was left to reflect on his sixth defeat from seven starts as Wales leader during a 95-cap Test career.
But Williams offered no excuses for the defeat, claiming: "Our Achilles' heel, throughout the tournament, has been our concentration.
"We need to do it from the first to the last minute.
"We had plenty of ball, but we weren't clinical enough. During key points of the game we switched off, and Ireland took full advantage.
"We worked hard just after half-time to get us back in the game, and if we had scored then it might have been different, but it was a key point in the game.
"We are having a crazy five minutes and sides are scoring tries against us and going out of sight."
Shaun Edwards, Wales' defence coach, admitted the defensive performance had not been good enough.
"We were disappointed when we went down to 14 men and then conceded tries," he said.
"I thought we tightened up in the last 20 minutes and defended well, but there is no question Ireland defended better than us. I have no argument with that, but it is something we have to work very hard on in the future."