Scotland v Wales Today, 4.0 Backs against the wall, jobs on the line, the wooden spoon on the table: that will be the background at Murrayfield this afternoon when the two bottom sides meet for what could turn into a desperate, undignified struggle to look vaguely decent.
Scotland can view Italy's visit on the final weekend as a possible escape route from wooden-spoon status, but Wales face Ireland and France in their final two games.
Their recent record here is not encouraging. Since 1985 they have won only once, in 1997, though they drew in 1999. If they fail today they could be facing their third whitewash since 1990.
Both teams are shipping points at around 30 per game, neither managed a try two weeks ago and both look worryingly rudderless.
With only one win in six games at the helm, Wales coach Steve Hansen is lucky the press's bile is being directed at his former captain, Colin Charvis, dropped after the defeat against Italy.
Hansen's Scotland counterpart Ian McGeechan, meanwhile, has raised eyebrows by dropping his team's lineout banker Scott Murray, then promptly reinstating him.
Wales are now on their third captain in three games, with the flanker Martyn Williams stepping in after a shoulder injury ruled out Jonathan Humphreys.
Scotland have looked devoid of sparkle. No wonder their captain Bryan Redpath describes today's encounter as "one of the highest pressure matches in my career".
Guardian Service
SCOTLAND: G Metcalfe (Glasgow); C Paterson (Edinburgh), J McLaren (Bordeaux-Begles), K Utterson (Borders), K Logan (Wasps); G Townsend (Borders), B Redpath (Sale, capt); T Smith (Northampton), G Bulloch (Glasgow), B Douglas (Borders), S Murray (Edinburgh), S Grimes (Newcastle), J White (Glasgow), A Mower (Newcastle), S Taylor (Edinburgh). Replacements: R Russell (Saracens), G Kerr (Leeds), N Hines (Edinburgh), J Petrie (Glasgow), M Blair (Edinburgh), G Ross (Leeds), A Craig (Orrell).
WALES: K Morgan (Swansea); R Williams (Cardiff), M Taylor (Swansea), T Shanklin (Saracens), Gareth Thomas (Bridgend), S Jones (Llanelli), G Cooper (Bath); I Thomas (Llanelli), G Williams (Bridgend), B Evans (Swansea), R Sidoli (Pontypridd), S Williams (Northampton), D Jones (Llanelli), M Williams (Cardiff, capt), Gavin Thomas (Bath). Replacements: M Davies (Pontypridd), G Jenkins (Pontypridd), G Llewellyn (Neath), C Charvis (Swansea), D Peel (Llanelli), I Harris (Cardiff), M Watkins (Llanelli).
Referee: P Deluca (Argentina).
