CAREFUL COACH SAYS STRATEGY WAS VINDICATED

SCOTLAND coach Vern Cotter believes a more cautious approach against Argentina proved well founded even if it took his side until the final act to secure a 19-16 victory.

‘We weren’t going to try to play flash rugby at times but we were going to alternate,’ he said. ‘When the forwards rolled their sleeves up they did the job and when it created opportunities for the backs they made good in-roads.

‘It was nice to be able to come away in the 83rd minute with the win. It was a dour affair but we saw right from the start, with the ball a little bit wet and the way they were trying to unsettle us at ruck time, it was going to be a tough game — an arm-wrestle — and I thought the guys responded well.

‘It wasn’t perfect because we had opportunities and didn’t make the most of them, but it was tough and what we saw was a lot of grit and character. They got what they went for with that determination, and we constructed opportunities, so there’s a lot of positives to come out of this game.

‘They (Argentina) certainly came to play to squeeze and try to get the win that way. What I really liked was that they scored a try and we scored a try straight back, because that was important.

‘It’s nice to come away with a win and I’m very proud of the way they went about their business.’

Argentina head coach Daniel Hourcade commented: ‘It was very difficult to lose this way, but our game was not consistent and we handed the initiative to Scotland. That was the reason why we lost. ‘It was a game that could have been won, lost or drawn.’