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If a rule is broken it is nothing to be proud of (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

failure

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'it is nothing to be proud of' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.

'if a rule is broken' is the wordplay.
'is broken' indicates anagramming the letters.
'if'+'a'+'rule'='ifarule'
'ifarule' anagrammed gives 'FAILURE'.

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(Other definitions for failure that I've seen before include "Collapse; disaster" , "No-hoper" , "[OPPOSITE OF] success" , "Lack of success, or he who lacks it" , "Breakdown; flop" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish News and The Globe and Mail.
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