Welsh legend Mervyn Davies has declared the fears he has for the future of the games in Wales.

Davies, who was recently nominated by Bill McLaren as the best number eight he has ever seen, believes that unless drastic changes are made, Wales will never recapture their former glories.

"The future is not that bright," said the former London Welsh and Swansea star. "We only have two or three world-class players in the entire squad now. And if Scott Quinnell wasn't around they would only be half a team.

"After recent results, everyone was getting excited by Wales beating Italy. It's something I just can't understand. In my eyes if we ever lost to Italy it would be a total disaster.

"I accept they played with a lot more spirit and guile, certainly than they produced against Ireland, but it's debatable if they can achieve that against England, or any of the other top sides for that matter."

The signing of rugby league star Iestyn Harris has done little to change Welsh fortunes, despite a rumoured £2million pricetag to lure him from rugby league.

"It's a bit of an embarrassment that we are now going to league for our players," he said. "I feel sorry for Iestyn because he has been touted as the second saviour of the Welsh game.

"The poor lad has been pitched into the national team before he has even had chance to learn how to play the game. He should have spent 12 months playing club rugby before anyone mentioned the Wales team. I'm sure he will come good in the end, but it hardly seems the best way of handling the situation."

Davies fears thegame will never recapture the glory days of his playing days.

"We played as amateurs and enjoyed the game. Now there are so many other things for children to do. I can't see that kind of success being repeated again and unless the Welsh Rugby Union are very careful, it might start to get worse."

At least Davies has been heartened by the withdrawal of strike action among the national squad, with a new professional body now set to have a major say in the way the WRU is run.

He is convinced radical change at the top is the only way forward, even if that means some of the country's most famous names will no longer be able to sustain a professional identity.

"There are probably too many professional clubs in Wales," he said.

"Relative to England, there is no money and the clubs can't afford to keep things going as they are.

"The WRU is run by amateurs, yet it is a multi-million pound business. How long can that situation go on for?"