Wales' Six Nations campaign now reads three games and three defeats. They sit at the bottom of the standings, below Italy, after going down to England in Cardiff on Saturday.
Warren Gatland, who returned to the fray to take over from Wayne Pivac - who was in the punditry box for BBC Sport at the Principality Stadium - believes they are improving but that that they lacked their extra bit of quality needed.
He now has two weeks to rally his troops before they face the Italians in a Rome, a match already being billed as the Wooden Spoon decider. A daunting trip to France then follows to conclude the tournament, and with a World Cup on the horizon, harnessing momentum and confidence will be vital
Here is what the UK media thought of the game.
READ MORE: Wales stars warned over Wooden Spoon and told Italy game has suddenly become 'massive'
Sir Clive Woodward - Italy will be tough
"No England win in Cardiff comes easily. I actually didn’t think England were going to lose at any point," Woodward wrote in his MailOnline column. "Even when Wales scored through Louis Rees-Zammit’s interception, England went straight up the other end and Kyle Sinckler grabbed a try.
"I thought the English back-row won them the game. They were just fantastic. Time after time, Lewis Ludlam, Jack Willis and Alex Dombrandt secured crucial turnovers, a number of which came with Wales attacking in the English red zone.
"On two occasions, Ludlam and Dombrandt got over the ball to stop what would have been certain Welsh scores. Wales’ attack was very poor. You just can’t afford to waste such prime opportunities in international rugby.
"But the fact their attacking game was stopped in its tracks was as much due to the work of the English back-row as it was Welsh wastefulness.
"The game was the first time I had been to watch an international in Cardiff as a fan. I’d been there as a coach and a television pundit many times, but watching from the stands was a real privilege.
"There can be no doubt that Principality Stadium is the best rugby arena in the world. Even with the roof open, the atmosphere was superb. After backing their players’ threat of strike action, before it was withdrawn at the 11th hour, Wales’ supporters did so again when the action began. It was a huge test for England in Borthwick’s first away game as coach."
He concluded: "Wales travel to Italy next on the back of three Six Nations defeats ‑ four, if you include their defeat to the Azzurri last March. It will be a tough test for them."
Telegraph - Wales woefully short of attacking threat
Wales deserve credit for their fight and passion but were woefully short of any attacking threat. Their only try stemmed from a cleverly-read intercept by Louis Rees-Zammit at the start of the second half from a rather pedestrian attack by England, which snatched the lead – albeit for just 90 seconds.
It was a sign of their error-ridden display that from the restart Wales conceded a penalty and England had the self-confidence to back their line-out rather than go for the posts, and two strong carries by Ellis Genge culminated in a try by Kyle Sinckler underneath the posts.
From there the game drifted, with Wales enjoying more possession but lacking the game management to properly threaten another comeback, too often kicking aimlessly to the imperious Steward.
The defeat is likely to feel much more painful tomorrow for Wales, with the table showing three defeats from three and a points deficit of -62. Their trip to Rome now will be the wooden spoon decider.
Gatland has used the first three rounds to experiment with his selection in a bid to fast-track his rebuilding phase. Mason Grady and Joe Hawkins enjoyed some impactful moments and have an international future together, as did Christ Tshiunza, but it was they were over-reliant on their old warriors, Ken Owens and Alun Wyn Jones to keep them in the game for so long.
Their biggest concern is their attacking game. Owen Williams had a poor game at fly-half and Tomos Williams lacked support when he attempted to bring tempo into the game.
Evening Standard - Wales plunged into pit of despair
Error-strewn England averted a crisis of their own with a vital 20-10 win in Cardiff to plunge strike-racked Wales deeper still into a pit of despair.
Lose this match and England could have been staring down the barrel of a grave predicament. Instead, it is Wales who will be haunted by the ghosts of a bleak future.
Owen Farrell missed 10 points off the tee but had enough nerve to grind a messy England home at the Principality Stadium. A week dominated by Wales’ strike threat gave way to a Test match of low quality, worryingly for both sides but particularly for Warren Gatland’s men.
Anthony Watson, Kyle Sinckler and Ollie Lawrence bagged the scores to drag England to their second victory of this year’s Six Nations, with Steve Borthwick’s men doubtless relieved to tiptoe out of Wales with the win.
Louis Rees-Zammit claimed an intercept score for Wales, but Gatland’s team were poor, especially at the breakdown where they were bested by England’s gleeful turnover hunters.
Wales have now had their worst Six Nations start since 2007, with a haunting time ahead, as much on the field as off it.
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Daily Mail - England dodge emotional Welsh bullet
They feared this game would never start — and at times here they feared it would never end.
It rounded off a week rugby would rather forget. A scrappy kick-fest that did little to put a smile back on the face of a crowd who witnessed strike threats and earthquakes in Cardiff over the last few days.
It was Freddie Steward’s day. As high balls rained down from the skies above the open roof of the Principality Stadium, the full-back delivered a nerveless performance in the backfield.
For Warren Gatland’s side, a 12th defeat in 15 Tests. For Steve Borthwick’s men, a small step forward but leaving questions about England’s ability to light up the pitch. It was rugby conservatism. Poor old Marcus Smith and Henry Arundell barely got out of their tracksuits.
On Westgate Street, kids were hoisted to the top of walls to catch a glimpse of team buses on their way in. Locals stood in solidarity with their militant players, before England were greeted with hand gestures from fully-grown men in daffodil hats. Mutiny was in the ranks. Would spirit trump adversity? No, was the answer, as England dodged an emotional bullet.
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