Six Nations 2015: Gatland confident over Jonathan Davies fitness

Image source, Huw Evans picture agency

Image caption, Jonathan Davies left Scarlets to join Clermont Auvergne on a two-year deal in 2013

Wales coach Warren Gatland says he expects centre Jonathan Davies to be ready to face England on Friday.

The Clermont Auvergne back, 26, has been named in the side to start the Six Nations opener in Cardiff despite suffering from a "tight glute".

Gatland said the travel back and forth to France was the cause of the problem.

"He's been having treatment and we are confident that he's 100%," said Gatland.

"He's gone back [to Clermont] and was just a little bit tight. I don't think, with the travel, that helped."

Davies says it was too risky a to play in the French club's defeat at La Rochelle last Saturday.

But the former Scarlets player says he feels fine after coming through training with the Welsh squad on Monday.

"I picked up a slight glute strain on Wednesday here [Wales] and then flew back [to France] that night," said Davies.

"[There was] a conversation between both medical teams and it was still a bit of a risk to play on the weekend, but I came back and trained this morning and it feels okay.

"I'm concentrating on Friday now."

Wing George North and hooker Richard Hibbard return for Friday's Six Nations opener after missing Wales' 12-6 win over South Africa in November.