It's hard for Wayne Pivac to come back from this, but he shouldn't be the sole scapegoat for Welsh rugby's problems
There was always something a little ironic about the screening of BBC's Slammed shortly before the Six Nations.
Heading into the tournament as defending champions, you could understand the timing of airing a documentary on how the Welsh national team put their nadir behind them to start winning championships again.
We used to be bad. Now we're not. Capeesh?
But it's not quite that simple, is it? To quote the American Office's Andy Bernard: “I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them.”
Usually, when you're celebrating the 'good old days', it's a solid indicator you're no longer in them. In fairness, the notion of a documentary charting how Welsh rugby fixed itself enough to win a few Six Nations titles at the very same time the sport sleepwalks back into the doldrums is, at the very least, on brand for rugby in this country.
From the minute Wales were dominated in Dublin back in the first weekend of February, the jokes of Slammed getting recommissioned for a second series were already doing the rounds. By the time Wales were humiliated by Italy, you sensed the documentary producers had their first act all sewn up.
Of course, the issue is that for Slammed 2: Back in the Habit (of losing) - presuming Sister Act doesn't completely own the rights to that one - to get greenlit, Wales need to bounce back from their lowest ebbs. What's a story without a happy ending, after all?
But, right now, for a myriad of reasons, it's hard to see where the upswing comes from. Defeat to Italy was, before kick-off, inconceivable. Now, the only thing tricky to foresee is where Wayne Pivac's Wales go next.
Naturally, a Six Nations with just one win - and a first home defeat to Italy - means