Yates extends his lead to 47 seconds with stage victory

Glasgow lock Jonny Gray insists he is fighting fit and ready to give his all in what he hopes will be two more games before enjoying a well-earned summer off.

The Scotland secondrow, who has been left out of Gregor Townsend’s Americas tour squad, has recovered from the shoulder knock he took against Connacht in Galway at the tailend of the regular season and is available for selection when coach Dave Rennie names his team at noon today for tomorrow evening’s Guinness Pro14 semi-final against Scarlets at Scotstoun.

“I’m all good now,” said the 24-year-old, pictured. “It’s been frustrating the last couple of weeks to miss out, but I’ve been looked after in good hands with the specialists and physios here so I’m fit.

“The guys who aren’t playing are looked after very well on the conditioning side and the physio side and the way we train it’s very competitive and intense sessions.”

After three weeks off after their 1872 Cup loss to Edinburgh, which he missed, Gray knows that Glasgow will need to be back at their best from the off against the reigning champions, who have been sharpened by a Pro14 quarter-final while the Scots have been kicking their heels.

“We know we’re going to need that against Scarlets with the brand of rugby they play,” said Gray. “They’re playing some outstanding rugby just now, so we know our fitness is going to have to be up there, so we’ve been training very hard because we know it’s going to be a tough game.

“Match fitness is something you have to think about. Both teams play open and attractive rugby and it’s fun to play. We have to work on skills all the time [given] the way the Scarlets have been playing, the tries they’ve been scoring and the threats they’ve got in the forwards and in the backs.

“They can score from anywhere, so that’s something we’ve looked at and it’s a real danger.”

0 A jubilant Simon Yates.