▁to ▁play ▁ 3 8 ▁consecutive ▁matches ▁for ▁Wales ▁and ▁scoring ▁two ▁tries . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁Wales ▁won ▁two ▁Grand ▁Sl ams ▁and ▁three ▁Tri ple ▁Crow ns . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁the ▁British ▁and ▁Irish ▁L ions ▁t ours ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁and ▁to ▁South ▁Africa ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁playing ▁in ▁eight ▁tests . ▁In ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 4 6 ▁international ▁appearances ▁for ▁Wales ▁and ▁the ▁L ions ▁he ▁only ▁ended ▁on ▁the ▁losing ▁side ▁nine ▁times . ▁ ▁T all ▁and ▁slight ▁of ▁frame , ▁he ▁grew ▁a ▁Mexican ▁m oust ache ▁to ▁make ▁himself ▁appear ▁more ▁ag gress ive ▁on ▁the ▁rugby ▁field . ▁He ▁was ▁nick named ▁" M erv ▁the ▁S wer ve " ▁and ▁" in ▁a ▁poll ▁of ▁Wel sh ▁rugby ▁fans ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Dav ies ▁was ▁voted ▁both ▁greatest ▁Wel sh ▁captain ▁and ▁greatest ▁Wel sh ▁number ▁eight ." ▁ ▁Ret irement ▁His ▁career ▁was ▁ended ▁by ▁a ▁sub ar ach no id ▁hem or rh age ▁suffered ▁when ▁captain ing ▁Sw anse a ▁against ▁Pont y pool ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁He ▁had ▁col lapsed ▁during ▁a ▁game ▁on ▁another ▁occasion , ▁four ▁years ▁earlier , ▁and ▁had ▁been ▁wrong ly ▁diagn osed ▁with ▁men ing itis . ▁Following ▁the ▁second ▁incident ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁patient ▁in ▁the ▁University ▁Hospital ▁of ▁Wales ▁for ▁several ▁months , ▁and ▁received ▁good will ▁messages ▁from ▁all ▁over