Thinking only of winning may be having a detrimental effect on Steve Tandy’s side, according to sports psychologist Dr Stephen McIvor

It’s unlikely Steve Tandy got to this point in his coaching career without ever alluding to the joy of playing with no baggage. Between club and country over the years he must have reminded his players that the lads down the corridor would be bearing the load, so that’s one thing less to worry about. And with that realisation comes a certain lightness. We’re not talking about the freedom of skipping around the park, picking out faces in the crowd and drinking in the atmosphere of a Six Nations tie, rather getting some value from being spared the burden of expectation.

For Wales this has come at a price. When you dip into your emotional bank for a run of 14 Championship fixtures, all of which end with getting your face slapped, it’s expensive. That kind of price makes you wonder about the value of it all. In which case the power of togetherness is critical if you hope to tip the scales, even slightly.