JONATHAN DAVIES: The Welsh rugby crisis was always coming - they papered over the cracks with the golden generation and the clubs aren't blameless either

Jonathan Davies was never short of work, with his extraordinary ability across both of rugby’s codes. But he does have experience of the agonising uncertainty that Wales’ union players are going through right now.

On Sunday, the men’s national side will begin their first series of matches under new head coach Steve Tandy against yet another backdrop of off-field uncertainty. Four Welsh regions will become three – at an unknown date – in the latest off-field drama to hit the country's national game amid severe financial difficulties.

Many of Tandy’s squad – including two British & Irish Lions in captain Jac Morgan and scrum-half Tomos Williams – have little idea of where they will be playing their rugby next season. And Davies, for all his talents, does know what that feels like.

In 1993, ‘Jiffy’ was told by his rugby league employers Widnes that the club could not afford to keep him. And he has words of wisdom for those facing the same problem today.

‘I couldn’t control what was going on in the boardroom,’ Davies tells Daily Mail Sport. ‘My mentality at the time was I was left with a number of games to show my worth and put myself in the shop window for other teams to look at. I wanted to show how good I was, to prove a point. That’s what the Wales players need to do in this autumn campaign.

‘As a player, you have to try and forget everything else and go out and perform, however hard it is. They have to show that despite everything that’s going on off the field, they’re mentally strong enough to perform at international level. Hopefully, it will galvanise them to put big performances in.’

It is against this backdrop that Tandy must prepare his team for the first time with matches against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa to come in the next four weeks.

Wales must battle the off-field crisis all while facing the best of the best in Cardiff, including the winners of the last five World Cups and their direct rivals for rankings points. Those points will decide whether Wales can cling on to a top-12 spot and get a more favourable draw for the expanded 24-team World Cup in 2027 in Australia.

And Davies, 63, urged the squad to use their precarious situation as fuel to drive them on.

‘I feel for the players,’ he says. ‘Representing Wales, by nature of their national squad status, are all likely to be safe because they’re the best. But they have to show that this autumn.

‘No one wants to be axed or lose their job through the WRU cutting a team. It’s a chance for the players to make a strong statement about how good they are. Even if there are job losses in Welsh rugby, players can show their worth and prove they’re worthy of a contract elsewhere, in England or France or wherever.

‘You have to think about these things as players. I don’t think there is enough talent in Wales at the moment for four teams and that’s the reality. But how you get from four to three is the tough one. I think it’s going to be very difficult for the WRU to do that.

‘The WRU are never going to be able to get everyone to agree on the next step. Someone is always going to be unhappy. The timing isn’t great. The WRU haven’t really made a decision, so I don’t really know why they made a song and dance about it. How can you say you’re going to three teams but not have an answer as to how to get there? There are so many unknowns, a lack of clarity.

‘There are so many questions still unanswered. I find it all very sad. I’ve no confidence in the powers-that-be at the WRU. I’m not sure they understand the tribalism of Welsh rugby. It’s the business end of the WRU making the decision, not the rugby side.’

Morgan and Gloucester skipper Williams are both out of contract at the end of the season. Morgan’s Ospreys are very much at threat, with the WRU’s preference to have one team in east Wales, one in Cardiff, and one in the west.

Morgan has made it clear that should the Ospreys be cut, he would not play for another team in Wales. Before joining up with the national team, the player has been exploring his options. Morgan met with Saracens and has interest from Gloucester too.

‘What’s happening now is a terrible shame,’ says Davies, who is also keen to recognise some of the more positive reforms that accompany the cutting of teams – such as investing in academies and the women’s game.

‘There’s an understanding there hasn’t been enough investment in the talent coming through in Wales and it’s good the WRU have acknowledged that. To get the best young talent in Wales – and that’s players and coaches – better looked after can only be a good thing. When the WRU ran the academies before, it worked. You just have to look at the quality of player that came through then.

‘All this has been lost amid the parochialism of the cutting of a team. It’s such a dangerous time. I feel the people making the decisions don’t have any skin in the game. In a few years, they’ll all be gone. But they have to make the right decisions for the good of the game. The top players are in quite a good position.

‘I’m sure the English clubs would want a number of our players, Jac included. The real people at risk here are the journeymen and the players who aren’t in the national side.’

Ahead of facing Argentina in Cardiff on Sunday, Wales have attempted to minimise the potential disruption to their rugby preparations.

Tandy has had an open-door policy with his players should they wish to discuss off-field matters. But at a press conference last week, Daily Mail Sport was blocked by a WRU representative from asking Morgan if his desire was to stay in Wales.

Wales do have a chance against the Pumas. Tandy has made a number of changes to the team’s training schedule and has swapped around the home and away changing rooms at Principality Stadium, as revealed by Daily Mail Sport.

It all forms part of his plans for a fresh start. There are positive noises coming out of the Wales camp about the environment Tandy has created, and he can only focus and influence on-field matters.

‘The state of play now is something I saw coming for a long time when I used to do games for Scrum V with Eddie Butler,’ says Davies. ‘We saw a lack of development and depth and questioned what was happening.

‘The Welsh success of a golden generation of players papered over the cracks. It’s not only the WRU to blame. The clubs have wasted a lot of money over the years, but all this has come to a head over a lack of depth, quality and funding.

‘I wish Steve and the players all the best. I really do. Success for Wales would be beating Japan and seeing a clear game plan in the other games. Argentina is going to be tough.

‘I’ve seen some people mention a possible player strike over what’s going on. But I don’t think that would solve anything as the situation we’re in now is driven by financial problems. If you don’t play one game, it only makes things worse in that regard.’