Wales head coach Warren Gatland has said he "understands" fans' frustrations after his side fell to a record-extending 14th straight Test defeat on Saturday, later adding he is feeling the pressure of those results.
Wales hit a new low as they were beaten 22-15 in Rome despite a late fightback, meaning they slump to 12th place in the world rankings.
The game would have been one of the side's best chances to end their unwanted losing run. They next host holders Ireland on Feb. 22 before visiting Scotland on March 8, with their final game of the Six Nations at home to England on March 15.
"I know how hard we are working," Gatland told S4C after the game.
"I can understand people's frustration and we are frustrated and disappointed as well because we created opportunities but we have made mistakes and the penalty count was disappointing.
"As a coaching team and players they are not hard fixes but we need to make sure we focus in those key moments."
In a post-match news conference, Gatland added: "There's no doubt it's challenging. You do question yourself. The players are working incredibly hard but when you're under pressure, your decision-making goes. You feel the pressure as a team that hasn't won for a while.
"That's the same when we've been in winning steaks. You can see the composure of the team. That's where we are at the moment. We need the bounce of the ball."
Wales prop Gareth Thomas and captain Jac Morgan admitted that spirits were low after the final whistle in Rome.
"Quite emotional at full-time," Thomas said. "It's a disappointing result and just not good enough."
"I'm gutted with the result," Morgan added. "We've worked hard all week and things just didn't go our way.
"Discipline let us down. We gave them opportunities to kick points and that built the score board to be too high at the end."
Italy went ahead with a penalty in the seventh minute and never looked back, handling the rainy Rome conditions much better than Wales, while their kicking game was also superior.
A try from winger Ange Capuozzo helped give them a 16-3 lead at the break, with Wales struggling to make any impact in attack.
However, it was their ill-discipline which cost Wales dearly in the end.
A late penalty try form Aaron Wainwright bolstered the scoreboard -- and meant they scored two tries to Italy's one -- but constant penalties kept the Azzurri's lead ticking over all afternoon.
Fullback Tommaso Allan scored 17 points with the boot, with just one conversion helping his tally.
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