Taulupe Faletau says it's been "hard to give your all" as a player amid the backdrop of contractual uncertainty which has engulfed Welsh rugby this season.
Wales' players threatened strike action in the build up to their Six Nations clash with England with a contractual freeze in place at the regions, while wages are set to be aggressively cut over the next couple of seasons.
In the end, the Welsh Rugby Union and the players reached a compromise which allowed the England game to go ahead but deep-rooted problems remain.
And Faletau, who will win his 99th Wales cap in Rome on Saturday, insists the off-field issues have affected performances on the field.
"You are always going to try to put your best foot forward but when things aren't going well off the pitch it's hard to give your all then," said the 32-year-old.
"It's just a tough time we are stuck in at the moment."
While all four regions are being negatively impacted by the pay cuts and the falling budgets, the situation is far more acute at Cardiff due to the fact they added an extra year on many of their players' contracts during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic.
There are cases of players earning £250,000 a season being asked to take an 80% pay cut to remain at Cardiff.
As a former national squad 38 player, Faletau is one of the highest earners in Welsh rugby, and admits he has great sympathy to those who face significant pay cuts or worse.
"Some of us are in fortunate positions and it's tough to see from our teammates," he said.
"In rugby we are all a family and are in it together at the end of the day. It's a tough period to see people struggling.
"I know that the boys who are coming out of contract, it's affecting them but nobody has told me personally that it affects me.
"I don't know if I want to find out either! If I can avoid the extra stress then I will."
Before signing for Cardiff last season, Faletau spent the previous six years playing his rugby over the bridge at Bath but he insists he had no idea things were going to get this bad back home in Wales.
"Yeah, well I never saw it coming," he said. "I couldn't say I wouldn't come if I knew. I didn't have a clue.
"Like I said earlier I'm just gutted for the players it's affecting. I just feel like I can't really help them in any way.
"With all the things over the last couple of weeks with the things which were meant to happen or what could have happened it's just unfortunate everyone is stuck in this situation."
Things haven't been much better on the field either, with Wales staring down the barrel of their first Six Nations whitewash since 2003 should they lose to Italy in Rome on Saturday.
Faletau admits Wales are still scarred by the horrors of last year's first ever home defeat to the Azzurri but is adamant they can turn things around.
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"Yeah, I'd be lying if I said it's not," said Faletau when asked whether last season's defeat still hurts.
"They are playing well. We've got a lot of work to do, and we are going to look to make those improvements on the weekend.
"They've (Italy) been pretty impressive I think with the performances they've put in. They've been a tough team to play and I'm sure it'll be the same on the weekend.
"I'm just trying to do the basics. When it comes down to it that's what I need to do. I think the errors in our game hasn't helped us and also the discipline.
"It's about getting the basics right and just trying to enjoy ourselves on and off the pitch."
With only five test matches until the Rugby World Cup, Warren Gatland has a lot of work to do if he is to avoid a pool stage exit. But Faletau is confident Wales can turn it around and be competitive in France.
"I'm confident in the squad and the players," he said.
"We've got some really talented players in the squad, individually that is, we've just got to come together as a team.
"I can't see a reason why we can't do that.
"Now Warren is back everybody is trying to adapt to the way he wants to play.
"It doesn't happen overnight but with time we'll get to know how he wants us to play and things should be better."
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