If you want to reach the top, you’ve got to put in the hard yards.

“After training I was maybe too quick to say to myself, ‘That’s me done for the day’ when I should be doing the extra wee things to build up to be a better player,” admitted Grant Stewart.

Saying that, the Glasgow Warriors hooker must be doing something right. Yesterday, he became the 12th player to re-sign for the Scotstoun side as he extended his contract for another two years.

Since embarking on a professional career in 2017, Stewart’s routine is slightly different from the normal, hum-drum 9 to 5 he used to be involved in. Or 8 to 5 in the 24-year-old’s case.

“When I was working it was 8am to 5pm, and then I’d start thinking about rugby,” said the former Glasgow Hawks, Strathaven and Dalziel player. “There’s more free time now. I play the PlayStation with the boys quite a bit.”

He may be dab hand at thumb-twiddling console games but the step up to the pro scene has helped to focus the mind and sharpen the instincts.

The competition for places at the Warriors keeps everybody on their toes while a stint in the Scotland camp ahead of the World Cup last year provided plenty of eye-opening experiences. “I learned a bit more about the professionalism required,” Stewart reflected.

“Coming in a wee bit late, I maybe wasn’t looking after myself well enough or looking closely at the small details in my game that make the difference. So, I picked up a few things that I should be doing more regularly, to make sure that I am always improving.

“Being surrounded with all those boys with so much international experience, I just soaked it up and have tried to bring it back here to Glasgow.

“If I want to play international rugby then I have to beat the boys who are already there, so going up against them for selection at Glasgow is a really good way to push me on.”

The Warriors have certainly been pushing on of late and last weekend’s PRO14 victory over the Dragons was their third five-point win in a row. They travel to the Emerald Isle this week for a testing tussle with table-topping Leinster but, having moved back into the play-off places, they’ll venture forth with a spring in their step.

The Warriors lost to Leinster in last year’s PRO14 final at Celtic Park with Stewart scoring a late try in that agonising 18-15 defeat in front of a crowd of over 47,000.

“It is up there [as a career high] but I would rather have won than score the try,” said Stewart of a bittersweet moment.

The signing of a new contract, meanwhile, has given Stewart fresh impetus. “It was a pretty easy decision,” he said. “I’m happy to be staying – its’s a great bunch of boys a and good club. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far.

“I came into the pro game later from Hawks, so now I’m just trying to keep building and this is definitely the best place for me to do that.”

The Glasgow assistant coach John Dalziel is certainly happy that Stewart is staying put.

“We’re lucky to have four excellent hookers with us in this playing group, and to have Grant committed for the next two years is a big boost,” he said.

“He’s had a great introduction to professional rugby over the last 18 months or so, and now we’re looking for him to kick on.

“He’s explosive and has really good footwork. He’s a real asset to the club.”