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France made light of the trip east, running in six tries to beat Japan 42-15 at Tokyo Nation Stadium in round three of the Nations Championship. The bonus-point win lifts them to the top of the North group after Ireland's earlier defeat in Auckland opened the door.
K. Ishida (14'), S. Otsuka (34')
Tries
M. Lamothe (1', 50'), M. Jalibert (18', 42'), A. Roumat (22'), M. Lucu (29')
T. Matsunaga (35')
Conversions
M. Lucu (2', 19', 23', 30', 51'), R. Ntamack (43')
T. Matsunaga (9')
Penalties
Japan will take some encouragement from a first half in which they went toe-to-toe for long spells. But the scoreboard tells the honest story: once France found their rhythm, the hosts could not live with their footwork and width.
France barely needed an invitation. Maxime Lamothe crossed inside the opening minute, converted by Maxime Lucu, and the tone was set. Japan responded through the boot of Takuro Matsunaga, whose ninth-minute penalty settled them, and by the 14-minute mark Kippei Ishida had finished in the corner to make it 8-7.
That was as good as it got on the scoreboard for the hosts. A yellow card for Harry Hockings on 17 minutes gave France a platform, and they made it count quickly. Matthieu Jalibert scored the first of his two tries a minute later, Alexandre Roumat powered over on 22, and by the half-hour Lucu had added his own try to stretch the lead to 8-28.
Japan did find a way back before the break, Sojiro Otsuka touching down on 34 minutes with Matsunaga converting, but at 15-28 the visitors already had control.
The contest slipped away early in the second half. Jalibert grabbed his second on 42 minutes, with Romain Ntamack converting, and Lamothe completed his brace on 50. That made it 15-42 and effectively ended the match as a contest with half an hour still to play.
France's discipline wobbled late, with Jalibert sent to the bin on 57 minutes and Marko Gazzotti following on 76, but Japan lacked the accuracy to punish either. The visitors turned the ball over 14 times across the match, yet the damage had been done long before those cards.
Jalibert was the difference. Wearing 15 on the day, he made 89 metres from 14 carries, beat 10 defenders and made two clean breaks, on top of his two tries. It was the kind of running Japan simply had no answer for.
Maxime Lucu finished with 15 points, adding five conversions to his try and putting in 11 tackles.
Alexandre Roumat carried for 53 metres and produced two offloads, giving France go-forward from the base.
Yoram Moefana made 50 metres and a clean break in midfield before being replaced, while Theo Attissogbe was lively on the wing with 54 metres and one clean break.
The numbers point to where the match was won. France beat 34 defenders to Japan's 17, and the hosts missed 34 tackles. When a defence leaks that often against this kind of attack, the result rarely stays close.
CARRIES
CLEAN BREAK
DEFENDER BEATEN
TACKLE
MISSED TACKLE
TURNOVER WON
TURNOVERS CONCEDED
PENALTY CONCEDED
YELLOW CARD
POSSESSION
SCRUMS
LINEOUTS
There was effort in the Japan performance. Ben Gunter was everywhere, topping the tackle count with 20 and carrying 13 times for 30 metres. Samisoni Tua ran hard in midfield with 15 carries for 41 metres, and Ryunosuke Ito looked dangerous when he got moving, making 46 metres from fly-half.
But the missed-tackle count and the 34 defenders beaten expose the same problem: too many holes in the defensive line against a side that punishes them. Ito's three turnovers conceded also hint at a young playmaker still finding his feet at this level. Japan competed in patches, but never for long enough.
France move top of the North group on 12 points, their bonus point proving valuable with Ireland losing in Auckland earlier. Japan remain fourth in the South group on four points. Their set-piece held up, with the scrum at 100% and the lineout at 10 from 11, but the defensive detail let them down badly.
On this evidence, France look well placed heading into the November as they welcome the Springboks.
