WALES ace Jonathan Davies reveals he wants to win the Grand Slam for close friend Rhys Thomas, the former Newport Gwent Dragons favourite who suffered a heart scare in January.

Centre Davies said he and many of the Wales team will have the hugely popular tight-head prop in their thoughts ahead of tomorrow’s Millennium Stadium showdown with France.

Thomas, 29, who has won seven caps for Wales and was a 2008 Grand Slam winner, is now back at home in Caerleon following heart surgery at Swansea’s Morriston Hospital after becoming ill during a training session with his region the Scarlets.

The 23-year-old Davies said Thomas – who endured heart problems six years ago – looks like he’s on the road to recovery, appearing “good and improving” when the two saw each other recently.

On being asked if the Wales squad would want to win the Grand Slam for his Scarlets teammate this weekend, he replied: “I’m sure we will – he knows a lot of the boys.

“We are doing it for everyone really but you do have personal affiliations with people who you are doing this for as well and I think the Scarlets boys and the boys who know Rhys, will have him in their thoughts and hopefully we can do the job for him.

“I love him to bits and he’s a great friend. He’s such a good character to have around the squad. He was very special at the Scarlets and the boys loved him. I think the Dragons boys will say the same.”

Davies – one of this Six Nations tournament’s outstanding players – said he imitated one of Thomas’ trademark try-scoring dives to salute his friend after bagging two touchdowns in the 23-21 victory in Dublin “After I scored in Ireland, I tried to do one of his try celebrations,” he said. “Rhys texted me after the game and said that was a nice touch for him.”

The 26-times capped Davies spoke of his shock when he first learned of the front row forward’s illness while away with Wales during their pre-Six Nations training camp in Gdansk.

“When I heard in the news about Rhys when I was in Poland, I was devastated,” he said “I was really frightened for him. Me and Rhys Priestland (Wales and Scarlets outside-half) went to see him a couple of weeks after that.

“Rhys is at home now and I saw him there recently and met him for food in Cardiff a fortnight ago.

“It’s just amazing to see how well he is at the moment. It’s great to see. He just seems so good and he’s improving all the time.

“I think Rhys is on the right road to recovery.”

Davies said Thomas, who left the Dragons to join the Parc y Scarlets side in 2009 after playing 126 games for the Gwent region, is a huge hit in Llanelli.

“I think he’s looking to come back to the Scarlets a couple of days a week just to see the boys,” Davies said.

“Rhys says himself, he misses that whole rugby environment.

“He was such a big part of the Scarlets squad and everyone loved him and he was a massive part of the team. Sadly, the boys are missing him at the moment.

“The main concern for him now is his health and I just wish him a speedy recovery.”