Spain finish last, but coach encouraged by display
Edinburgh
October 18, 1999

Spain have officially been classified as the 20th placed team at the competition but their coach Alfonso Feijoo believes they have justified their right to take part.
The RWC organisers have ranked the teams who failed to make the knock out stages, from in Canada 12th
Down to the Spanish in last place, but Feijoo believes it has been a rewarding experience for his players.
"It is vital for small rugby playing countries like ours to increase our experience, and to do that we must participate,'' he said before his squad left for home.
"It is a big mistake to close international rugby to just the biggest rugby playing nations in the world. Teams like Uruguay and ourselves have justified our participation. We lost our three games in the group but we still put much more experienced opponents under pressure,'' Feijoo said. Uruguay who beat the Spanish were ranked 15th.
Feijoo also claimed: "I think we have shown people that we can play and hopefully lots of youngsters in Spain will have seen what we have done and will take up the game. It is so important for our development for that to happen and we must continue moving forward.''
Final rankings of non qualifiers:
12 Canada 5 points, 114 points scored 17 Namibia 3, 36
13 Romania 5, 50 18 Japan 3, 36
14 Tonga 5, 47 19 Italy 3, 35;
15 Uruguay 5, 42 20 Spain 3, 18.
16 USA 3, 52

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