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September 25, 2011

Posted on 09/25/2011

Scottish spirits sink but at least there was an even field to enjoy

Scotland's clash with Argentina was a most welcome reversion to one of the basic requirements of the Rugby World Cup: to have teams sharing the incentive to produce their strongest teams, writes James Lawton in The Independent.

"It will be some time before we know if this is truly a great World Cup of rugby or just some inordinately meandering march to record television and advertising profits.

"In the meantime, though, we can at least thank God for the gifts bestowed by filthy nights in Auckland and Wellington.

"The first brought us an appropriately magisterial celebration of his 100th cap by New Zealand skipper Richie McCaw.

"The second was hard on Scottish spirits and not least the splendidly refrigerated nerve of the oddly substituted Ruaridh Jackson, but when Argentina won with a superbly executed try they did it on the kind of field which has become increasingly precious as this tournament wears on.

"This is to say an even one, on which both teams played at maximum strength and with equal opportunity."

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