Sports digest: Rugby League | Shinty | Hockey | Moto GP | Rallying

The latest sports news...

Rugby League

Australia overcame the loss of inspirational full-back Billy Slater and the best efforts of a gallant England to reach the Gillette Four Nations final with a 36-20 win.

Slater suffered a fractured collarbone after just ten minutes that has ruled him out of the remainder of the series.

However, the Kangaroos brushed off the absence of their talisman to outscore their hosts by six tries to four and make it seven final appearances in as many attempts.

Shinty

The title race took a dramatic swing yesterday as Newtonmore edged to the top of the table and could clinch the championship next weekend.

Kyles have led the Premier League for so long but yesterday’s 3-3 draw with Inveraray in Yoker allowed More – 6-0 winners at Kilmallie – to sneak in front with the finish line in sight. Now, after trailing Kyles for months, Newtonmore only need to beat them in next weekend’s showdown to lift the title.

Hockey

Glynhill Hotel Kelburne continued their relentless pursuit of retaining their title with a devastating display of attacking hockey, running up a 9-1 win against one of their main challengers, Inverleith, in the Subway National League game at Forthbank in Stirling, Jonny Christie netting four times.

Second-placed Grange produced a similarly impressive result to demolish AMN Hillhead 11-2 with a Cammie Fraser hat-trick the highlight.

Moto GP

Champion Casey Stoner secured his 12th pole position of the year in qualifying for the Valencia Grand Prix yesterday, equalling the record for a single season set by five-times world champion Mick Doohan.

The Australian Repsol Honda rider, who clinched his second MotoGP title at his home race last month, set a best lap of one minute 31.861 seconds, 1.014 seconds faster than team-mate Dani Pedrosa in second.

Rallying

Alister McRae leads the China Rally by 58 seconds from Finland’s Jari Ketomaa going into today’s final stages in Longyou and is on the verge of being crowned Asia Pacific Rally Champion.

The Scot went into this weekend’s title decider – an event which he won last year – seven points ahead of Proton team-mate Chris Atkinson and requiring only to stay ahead of him to win the title – and he currently leads his rival by almost two minutes.