Warren Gatland has shuffled his deck more than any other coach during this Six Nations' journey of discovery.

He knew he was entering a race against time when he took the job in December.

It explains the staggering 21 changes so far this tournament - with more likely against France next week - but also suggests he is still some way off knowing his best team.

Gatland has spoken this week of bringing together a camp divided over the turmoil around player contracts and strike action. He must also blend a squad mismatched on the field.

He has a squad of extremes. Test veteran 30-somethings arguably past their prime and a classroom of youngsters bubbling with potential, but painfully raw at international level.

When the New Zealander took the helm for a second spell in charge of Wales, he immediately bemoaned the "disparity" between the two groups.

Ideally he would have a core of players aged 25 or 26 with at least 30-odd caps to their names. The simple fact is he does not.

So this Six Nations, Gatland has sacrificed results for rotation and victories for variety until he finds his team.

However, three defeats in a row for the first time as Wales coach is a bitter pill to swallow.

"That's a new experience but it's about trying to get a handle on where we are and we've still got a lot of work to do," said former British and Irish Lions coach Gatland.

"We've got some young players who are pretty exciting and need a bit of time.

"And for a number of players it could be their last year in a Welsh jersey, so there will be a transition going forward.

"We are not quite where we want to be in terms of that process but we are working hard and we're clear about the improvements we are trying to make."

The Wales team has been like a merry-go-round.

Gatland picked an aging team against Ireland, switched to young forwards against Scotland and young backs against England. There are signs of more balance against Italy.

Senior players are having their workloads managed while the likes of Joe Hawkins (20), Mason Grady (20), Dafydd Jenkins (20) and Jac Morgan (23) have clearly been earmarked for long international futures.

But is France this September too soon? And will household names such as Alun Wyn Jones (37), Leigh Halfpenny (34) and Ken Owens, Wales' oldest ever championship captain at 36, last?

Gatland has been reluctant to point the finger at Wayne Pivac, both his successor and predecessor, but he said change should have happened sooner.

He is not the only one who thinks the next generation should have been introduced gradually, rather than in the unforgiving cauldron of the Six Nations as time ticks down to Bordeaux on 10 September.

Steve Hansen did the same 20 years ago and almost reached a World Cup semi-final. Gatland discovered a new young team in 2011 and went agonisingly close to reaching the final.

But it means taking some pain in the meantime.

"That's definitely the thinking at the moment. We know we have to go through that process," he said.

"We see some talent and we're trying to keep some experience around the younger players [because] you can't coach experience.

"Sometimes young players make mistakes and you've got to allow them to do that. They learn from playing at the highest level.

"That's why for a number of them we've got to give them time in the middle."

Defeat to Italy in Rome would almost certainly spell a first Wooden Spoon in Gatland's otherwise glittering career.

Turning that around would also signal his biggest challenge to date.