Heart of a Lion - Jonathan Davies thanks Scarlets for support back home

After an impressive performance from the powerful Scarlets centre in his first test against the Wallabies, Bancyfelin's star player has earned his second start in the famous jersey and is looking forward to Saturday's match day atmosphere and challenge.

Jon Davies' parents and sister have made the trip from Carmarthenshire to Australia to lend their support with a swell of proud home support in West Wales backing the Wales and Lions international during the campaign.

Speaking on the eve of his second test, Jon Davies said: "The tour's getting better and better as far as I'm concerned, I think we're in our seventh week now and it's really flown by - I can't express enough how special it is to be part of this group and to be involved and I'm really grateful for all the support from back home as well as out here - it's been brilliant.

"My sister and parents are out here, and I got to spend a bit of time with them last Sunday when I had a day off, so it was nice to chill with them for a bit.

"The level of support has been quite surreal but it's great to see it and I'm glad that my family's here to experience it too. Hopefully I'll get to repay them and all the supporters back home in Wales and make them proud on Saturday; I'm really looking forward to it."

Davies said there had been a real edge to training this week: "It's been a good week, with the first test and a win. After the Brumbies game, there was a bit of a down feeling back at the hotel, but since coming here after the win on Saturday, the boys have been on the bounce. There's been a real edge to us and I think the players turned it up on Tuesday with a really physical presence.

"It was a great last Saturday, the whole atmosphere and sense of occasion was special, and running out was just brilliant - that's when it suddenly just hit you like a brick wall.

"The whole occasion with the jersey presentation on the Friday when Ian McGeechan came in and had a chat with us was great, and I think the boys were ready to play there and then.

"When we came out of the team meeting and saw all the fans by the bus - that was incredible. I think that's one of the best parts when you play international rugby and you see all the supporters that have come out to meet you when you arrive."

On his collision with Christian Lealiifano in the opening seconds of the first test Davies said he was just glad, his opponent has made a full recovery.

He said: "Something happened from the very first minute to the last in the game. As I was getting up after the collision with Christian Lealiifano I could see that something wasn't right with him, he wasn't moving, so I told the ref that he was struggling. The medical staff came straight on and they were excellent. You don't want to see someone have a bump like that, and I'm really glad that he's made a full recovery.

"I enjoyed the partnership between me and Drico - it was the first time we'd played a full game together and I think that we're getting more of an understanding. I'm trying to learn from the Leinster partnership between him and Jonny too.
"I'm thoroughly enjoying the whole experience. Training's going well, and there's an understanding forming about how we want to play and what we want to achieve.

"What's been great is that the boys who haven't been picked, their attitude in training has been excellent, and we don't want to have a divide in the squad between the test team and the rest.

"We're all in this together, we've all worked extremely hard for it and we're on the brink of something special, and we want to achieve that as one really, that's the most important thing for us.

"Everyone's aware now that the series win is only one game away and ideally we don't want to go to the final test for that, we just want to get the job done. We've all done extremely well and we know what we want to achieve, and there's an opportunity on Saturday to be part of something special."

"We'll look to dominate from the start and make sure we play in the right areas."