Sports digest: Rugby | Shinty | Hockey | Motorsport

SCOTTISH international Euan Murray has agreed a short-term loan deal with French side Agen. The club announced yesterday that the 32-year-old prop has signed as cover for South African Gert Muller.

He is in line to make his debut in the Top 14 opener at home to Racing Metro on Saturday. The eight times French champions, who also signed Esteban Lozada from Edinburgh over the summer, have not ruled out the possibility of extending Murray’s stay.

SHINTY

Kyles too much for More

KYLES Athletic, beaten at the last gasp to the league title by Newtonmore last year, gained some sweet revenge when they beat the Camanachd Cup holders 2-1 at Oban to reach the final of the premier cup tournament.

Thomas Whyte and Roddy MacDonald had given the Dunoon side a 2-0 lead before Danny MacRae pulled one back for More.

Meanwhile their final opponents, Inveraray, hammered Bute 5-1 while Fort William came from three down to defeat Kingussie 4-3.

HOCKEY

Scots face world test

SCOTLAND’S women will have to do without Olympic bronze medallists Emily Maguire, pictured, and Laura Bartlett for the first round of the inaugural World League in Prague this week.

The Scots are the highest ranked side in the tournament – the other sides in the single pool are Turkey, Czech Republic, Belarus, Italy and France – and the top four teams qualify for the next round.

n Scotland’s U21 men started their German tour with a 3-2 win over Club an der Alster in Hamburg, the final part of their build-up for the European Junior Nations Championships in Den Bosch in two weeks’ time.

The Scots youngsters were a goal down at half-time, but Glynhill Kelburne striker Alan Forsyth scored twice and the winner came in the final minute through Clydesdale’s Scott Lindsay.

MOTORSPORT

Shedden’s all fired up

FIFER Gordon Shedden’s British Touring Car Championship bid went up in smoke at Snetterton yesterday when his Honda burst into flames.

Shaken but unharmed, the 33-year-old from Dalgety Bay, second in the title race, one point behind his team-mate Matt Neal, was returning to the pit lane when his world went up in smoke.

“I was coming round the last bend and then there was a pop,” said Shedden.

“It was like a misfire or as if the car had run out of fuel. As I started coasting into the pit lane, flame suddenly flashed up the side of the car.”

While the Scot will start the first of today’s three races from 22nd and last place on the grid, Neal lines up seventh, pole going to Frank Wrathall’s Toyota.