GB curling men rout Germany

Great Britain know victory over Norway on Tuesday will seal qualification for the men's curling semi-finals after they crushed Germany 8-2 on Monday.

Skip David Murdoch picked up a couple of early singles before being gifted a two when German skip Andy Kapp left his final stone short on the fourth end.

Germany struggled all game and a couple of doubles in the sixth and eighth ends for GB prompted a concession.

"That was a really solid performance," said Murdoch after the win.

"It was the type of form that we expect from ourselves.

"We're at least in a play-off, I think, but we're going to focus on getting a win (over Norway on Tuesday) because that's a semi-final berth (guaranteed)."

Murdoch pleased at return to form

It was Britain's fifth win from eight games in the competition and the second in succession after a narrow defeat to Canada.

"That's been three solid games and the team usually does that by the time it gets to the end of the week in major championships," Murdoch added.

"There's still a little to go, I don't think we're maxed out yet but we're certainly coming into the type of form we're looking for.

"The Canada game really got us into that type of mode, that type of intensity, and we've carried that forward.

"You don't want to peak at the start of the week. This is the business end of the week we're getting into and it's good to see that every one of us is playing great shots."

The victory lifted Murdoch's team into joint third place, alongside Switzerland, with fifth-placed Sweden the only other team who could qualify for the last four.

The only slight concern for the British team was the departure of Euan Byers at the start of the eighth end.

It was unclear as to why Byers left the rink, but Team GB had said before the competition that they would only use their permitted substitute if a player was injured or ill.

Alternate Graeme Connal came in for Byers at lead and played two inch-perfect shots to set up the match-winning double.

Norway are already in the semi-finals, along with unbeaten Canada.

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