Gray returned to Saints action on Saturday after spending three games for Scotland coming off the bench last month.

The last year has seen an amazing turnaround in the 30-year-old's fortunes. Just 16 months ago Gray was without a club and wondering if had a future in the game after Border Reivers folded.

But after a season with Doncaster in National League One, Gray was snapped up by Saints and two months into the Premiership he was back in the Scotland squad.

His first cap was in an autumn international against Australia in 2004 and when he stood for the Flower Of Scotland ahead of the clash with New Zealand, the emotion of his return nearly got to Gray.

"It is amazing to get back there," said Gray, who was born in Zimbabwe, but qualifies thanks to his father Donald being born in Barrhead.

"Getting my second cap was pretty much like getting my first.

"I was on the edge, but I held back the tears, I had to look up to make sure it didn't happen.

"It was good to be back, I was absolutely over the moon.

Last year if somebody had said to me that I was going to be playing for Scotland there is no way I would have believed it possible.

Even playing for Saints and starting for them I would have taken it with open arms, but to actually get to play for Scotland again is awesome."

Gray now has to get back into the Saints way of life again after his stint with the Scots.

Many club coaches bemoan losing players to the autumn internationals, but the positive aspect is that they will come back better players.

Not only is it a boost for their confidence and self-esteem, but they can pick up new techniques and tips that can be applied to their club.

Gray feels that working with the Scotland coaches and alongside Glasgow Warriors' John Barclay, who holds the openside spot at the moment, has helped him improve his mental approach to the game rather than upping his skills.

"At Scotland they make you think about the game in a slightly different way," said Gray.

"One thing I picked up is just trying to be more accurate in everything I do.

Not necessarily doing anything different to what I do, but just getting everything perfectly right every time I do it and just trying to work along those lines with my thinking.

"Not thinking I need to do other things, but just concentrating solely on what I'm doing, to do it a lot better with no mistakes."

Gray added: "The guy ahead of me at the moment in the Scotland team, John Barclay, just doesn't make any mistakes.

"He is a good player, he does his job and he is very consistent.

That is what I have to get up to, I have to get my consistency and make no mistakes and go from there."

Gray was playing alongside Saints team-mate Euan Murray and tipped the front row behemoth to go on the Lions tour to South Africa next summer after his performances for Scotland, not that the 28-year-old appreciated it.

"The Lions are going to South Africa and the way Euan performed against South Africa was superb," said Gray. "I am not the only one saying this.

"I told him I said that and he was quite gutted, he just wants to concentrate on playing well for Saints and then playing well for Scotland if he gets picked again.

"He is that sort of guy, he doesn't want to get ahead of himself, but I thought he definitely put his hand up for the Lions."