There were many things which contributed to Warren Gatland's downfall but the lack of consistency in selection didn't help.
From replacing Wayne Pivac to offering his resignation, Gatland went through 11 different centre partnerships which more than anything emphasised why Wales' attack struggled to function. But after a significantly improved performance in the 27-18 defeat to Ireland last Saturday it would be a surprise if Matt Sherratt made many, if any, changes to his starting XV.
Sherratt may tinker with the side and switch one or two players who may be better suited to facing Scotland than Ireland but it would be a surprise if the Cardiff coach didn't opt for continuity. Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake is a strong contender to replace Elliot Dee, while Josh Adams is also a contender if he has recovered from injury.
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But Wales' back-three of Ellis Mee, Tom Rogers and Blair Murray were superb against Ireland, causing the defending champions a myriad of problems. Sherratt only had three full training sessions with the squad before facing Ireland and one of the main reasons behind such an improved performance was the continuity and cohesion in the back line which allowed Wales' attack to run smoothly..
The back-three were all Scarlets players, while Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe and Max Llewellyn all play for Gloucester and Cardiff's Ben Thomas would have played with all three at the Arms Park previously.
For a small nation like Wales, continuity in selection is key to building cohesion and it is a benefit to transfer club partnerships onto the international circuit.
A prime example could be seen last Saturday with six Leinster players in Ireland's back line. The half-back partnership of Jamison Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast in particular helped Ireland avoid an embarrassing defeat in Cardiff.
Former Wallabies prop Ben Darwin is a director of a sports consultancy firm called Gainline Analytics who is adamant the more club combinations you can transfer onto the international arena the better. “The more stable you are the greater level of understanding you have," Darwin told The Guardian in 2020.
"You can buy skill but skill doesn’t manifest itself in chaos. If you have lots of different players coming in from different places with different habits it’s hard to get them on the same page, particularly defensively.”
Sherratt is going to want to build on the performance against Ireland and it would be difficult to do that without consistency in selection. The scrum went very well against Ireland, with Nicky Smith and WillGriff John putting the Irish under severe pressure in the first-half.
Lake's physicality and the fact he is arguably the most explosive ball carrier in the squad will likely get him the nod over Dee. Will Rowlands put in his best performance of the season against Ireland after a disappointing start to the championship so it would be a surprise if Sherratt changes the second-rows.
Sherratt's decision to go with dual opensides against Ireland worked for the most part, with Jac Morgan outstanding as always and Tommy Reffell getting through a mountain of work. But due to the class of Aaron Wainwright and the fact he has developed into a dynamic carrier, the backrow selection is always up for debate.
But Wales will want to win the battle on the floor against Scotland and need to slow down the speed of the home side's ruck ball. Provided Anscombe is fit it will be the same again at half-back and in midfield.
Thomas and Llewellyn combined very well against Ireland and will likely get an opportunity to build their partnership in Edinburgh. Experienced Cardiff wing Adams could come back in if he proves his fitness but Murray, Rogers and Mee were effective in attack last weekend.
With Scotland likely to adopt a fast-paced game, the likes of Murray could thrive at Murrayfield. The reality is if Wales are to avoid back-to-back Wooden Spoons they stand a better chance of ending their winless run with a settled side.
