Thomas had just been interviewed on television about Mike Ruddock

Thomas had been quizzed about Mike Ruddock's departure as coach and was rushed to hospital after losing feeling in the left side of his body.

"I thought I was having a heart attack. I thought I was going to die," he said.

Thomas has since been diagnosed with a damaged artery in his neck that has ruled him out of the Six Nations.

During the 30-minute television interview, Thomas defended the actions of his players in the run-up to Ruddock's dramatic departure.

He was watching the Scrum V programme at home with his wife when he started to feel unwell.

"About 10 minutes into the programme he started shouting, 'no, no,' and said he could not feel the left side of his body and his vision was blurred," said his wife Jemma.

"He kind of slid off the chair, and then it was panic stations. We dialled 999."