NEW Formula 1 world championship Damon Hill arrived back in Britain last night to chaotic scenes at Heathrow airport.

The 36-year-old star and his wife Georgie needed 15 minutes to make their way through the arrivals concourse at terminal four as they were mobbed by 300 cheering fans.

Hill, who clinched the world title by his emphatic victory in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, stopped to talk to fans, who waved union flags and clamoured for autographs.

As he was escorted by half-a-dozen police officers Hill said: ``I'm happy to be home, it's a fantastic reception. I just want to thank everyone for turning up.''

Hill is the first son of a former world champion to lift the crown. His late father Graham was champion in 1962, and 1968.

COLIN McRae escaped a cloudburst in the San Remo Rally last night and his good fortune boosted his victory chances.

The former world champion shot through the ninth stage near Volterra, in central Italy, in light rain before the deluge left his rivals ploughing through flooded roads.

Spain's Carlos Sainz, who finished the second day in second place, 32 seconds behind McRae, said: ``Five minutes before we started the stage we could not even see. It was incredible - like a lake,'' said the Ford Escort driver. Drivers face another 130km

of flat out driving on asphalt today before the rally ends in San Remo.

Ice hockey

MURRAYFIELD Royals last night released hit-man Tony Grenci after just two games.

The Canadian jetted in last week but flopped in Royals' heavy defeat at Northern Premier Division pace-setters Fife Flyers at Kirkcaldy on Saturday.

And he failed to sparkle in Sunday's home clash with Dumfries Vikings which the Edinburgh club also lost.

Player-coach Roger Hunt said: ``We'd seen enough in the two games to know he's not what we're looking for.

``He's looking for another club and we're disappointed that it has not worked out but we need an out-and-out goal-scorer. Tony was not going to be that type of player.''

Boxing

ANGRY Tranent scrapper Willie Quinn could be banned from British title action for a year if he turns his back on a championship chance.

Quinn, the managerless WBO Continental middleweight kingpin, is fuming about his share of the #12,000 purse for the contest against Englishman Neville Brown.

The 12-round fight, originally scheduled for December 14 in Derby, has now been brought forward to December 2 and with expenses, his wages could shrink to around #3000.

Last night, Quinn was considering his options following detailed talks with London-based British Boxing Board of Control chiefs. And he revealed: ``I've spoken to the Board and I'm still training. I'll decide next week what to do once my adviser Mickey Du

ff comes back from business in America.''

It was confirmed last night that Quinn's former manager, Glasgow-based Tommy Gilmour, had previously agreed a big-money deal with London-based fight promoter Frank Warren, who subsequently won the purse bid for the contest.

Gilmour revealed that the deal had been struck on the telphone and confirmed in a fax to Warren agreeing to Quinn earning #15,000 if the fight was in Scotland or #20,000 plus expenses if it took place outside Scotland.

Gridiron

GREEN Bay Packers edged out San Francisco 49ers with a 53-yard Chris Jacke field goal to secure the 23-20 overtime victory in a thrilling game at Lambeau Field.

Jacke, who had sent the game into the extra period by getting a 31-yard field goal with eight seconds to play, kept his cool to convert the longest overtime field goal in NFL history three minutes 41 seconds into extra time.

The victory puts Green Bay on top of the NFL with the league's best record at 6-1, while San Francisco slumped to 4-2

q SCOTTISH Claymores will begin the defence of their World Bowl title away to Amsterdam Admirals in Ajax's Amsterdam stadium on April 12 next year, the World League announced yesterday.

Rivals, London Monarchs, open their season the next day at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground against Frankfurt Galaxy.

Jim Criner's squad will take on the Auld Enemy on May 11 in London with the return match up against the Monarchs on June 8.

Tennis

AUSTRIA'S Thomas Muster, still incensed at abuse directed at him in a Davis Cup tie in Brazil last month, said yesterday he would rather stop playing in the competition than risk injury at the hands of unruly fans.

World No.3 Muster marched off court during the clash between Austria and Brazil in Sao Paulo, saying he felt threatened by the crowd.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) last week ordered Austria to forfeit #39,000 prize money for failing to complete the tie and upheld #5000 fines imposed on the spot against Muster.

Muster, in Hong Kong for an exhibition event with world No.1 Pete Sampras and French Open champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, defended his actions and said the referee's report was nonsense.

Greyhounds

SHAWFIELD results. First race - Davitt Jet (3) 9-4 fav;, Dapper Don (2) 5-2; #7.81. NR: Rantogue Champ. Second - Greenwell Eagle (1) 6-4 fav; Fully Booked (3) 3-1 #5.83. NR: Pineapple Chief, Double Delight. Third - Morefawn Bass (4) 9-4; Tullyvin Satin (2

) 3-1; #8.90. Fourth - Murlens Link (3) 7-4 fav; Pond Bogart (5) 2-1; #5.16. Fifth - Blair Adam (1) 2-1 fav; Brendans Pride (2) 4-1; #9.82. Sixth - Peadars Garden (1) 7-2; Slaney Deer (3) 5-1; #20.09. Seventh - Carnival Flame (1) 5-2; Heres Pakie (2) 6-4;

#6.24. Eighth - Carloway Poser (1) 7-4 fav; Alans Hope (5) 3-1; #6.85. Ninth - Right Smurf (5) 6-1; So Shook Up (1) 4-1; #28.80.

Squash

ENGLAND and Australia continued to command attention in the qualifying rounds of the Perrier Women's World team squash championship in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia today, but did not have everything their own way.

In Pool B, England defeated Holland, ironically coached by Jonah Barrington, the president of the English Squash Rackets Association, but not before Norfolk's Cassie Jackman, last weekend's world open finalist, found herself in trouble against Vanessa Atk

inson, the world No 39.

Jackman led 1-0 and 6-0 in the second game but then seemed to lose her concentration, struggling home in that game but losing the next two on tie breaks.

But she gathered her composure in time to take the fifth game and win 9-4, 9-6, 8-10, 9-2, in 59 minutes - the longest rubber of the day.

``It was a nightmare,'' Jackman admitted. ``I thought it was never going to end.''

Australia, also with two wins to lead in Pool A, fared well with a 3-0 win against South Africa.

Ireland scored a first win in Pool C, with Aisling McArdle beating the Asian champion Leong Siu Lynn at first string, while Scotland scored a second win in Pool D beating Japan 3-0.

Schools rugby

Fettes College 12, Dundee HS 17.

Under-21 District Championships - Scottish Exiles 24, Edinburgh 19; North and Midlands 32, Glasgow 21.

Under-19 District Championships - North and Midlands 20, Glasgow 12.