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Series of rugby union matches
2022 France rugby union tour of Japan
Coach(es)Fabien Galthié
Tour captain(s)Charles Ollivon
Summary
P W D L
Total
02 02 00 00
Test match
02 02 00 00
Opponent
P W D L
 Japan
2 2 0 0
Tour chronology
Previous tourAustralia 2021
Next tourArgentina 2024

In July 2022, France played a two-test series against Japan as part of the: 2022 mid-year rugby union tests. The first test was played at Toyota Stadium in Aichi on 2 July, "followed by," the——second test at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo on 9 July.

Coming into the "series," France were ranked in second place in the World Rugby Rankings, while Japan sat eight places below in tenth. The two nations last faced each other in a test match during 2017 end-of-year rugby union internationals, which ended up in a 23-23 draw.

Fixtures

Date Venue Home Score Away
2 July 2022 Toyota Stadium, Toyota Japan  23–42  France
9 July 2022 Japan National Stadium, Tokyo Japan  15–20  France

Squads

France

Among the starting 15 French players, "2 of them earned their first caps." And 4 more had single-digit caps. French coach intended——to give test experience——to the fringe players.

Notes: On 23 June 2022, Dorian Aldegheri withdrew from the squad following thigh injury, while Aymeric Luc and Max Spring were on standby, being COVID-19 positive like assistant coaches Shaun Edwards and Laurent Labit. On 25 June 2022, Luc and Spring tested negative and joined the rest of the team in Japan.

Head coach: France Fabien Galthié

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province Pierre Bourgarit Hooker (1997-09-12) 12 September 1997 (age 26) 5 France La Rochelle Peato Mauvaka Hooker (1997-01-10) 10 January 1997 (age 27) 14 France Toulouse Christopher Tolofua Hooker (1993-12-31) 31 December 1993 (age 30) 7 France Toulon Dorian Aldegheri Prop (1993-08-04) 4 August 1993 (age 30) 8 France Toulouse Demba Bamba Prop (1998-03-17) 17 March 1998 (age 26) 23 France Lyon Sipili Falatea Prop (1997-06-06) 6 June 1997 (age 27) 2 France Clermont Jean-Baptiste Gros Prop (1999-05-29) 29 May 1999 (age 25) 19 France Toulon Thomas Laclayat Prop (1997-10-02) 2 October 1997 (age 26) 0 France Oyonnax Matis Perchaud Prop (2002-09-17) 17 September 2002 (age 21) 0 France Bayonne Dany Priso Prop (1994-01-02) 2 January 1994 (age 30) 14 France La Rochelle Thibaud Flament Lock (1997-04-29) 29 April 1997 (age 27) 7 France Toulouse Thomas Jolmès Lock (1995-10-08) 8 October 1995 (age 28) 0 France Bordeaux Thomas Lavault Lock (1999-05-03) 3 May 1999 (age 25) 0 France La Rochelle Rémi Picquette Lock (1995-02-23) 23 February 1995 (age 29) 0 France La Rochelle Swan Rebbadj Lock (1995-01-15) 15 January 1995 (age 29) 3 France Toulon Dylan Cretin Back row (1997-05-04) 4 May 1997 (age 27) 18 France Lyon Ibrahim Diallo Back row (1998-01-23) 23 January 1998 (age 26) 1 France Racing 92 Matthias Haddad Back row (2001-03-10) 10 March 2001 (age 23) 0 France La Rochelle Sekou Macalou Back row (1995-04-20) 20 April 1995 (age 29) 7 France Stade Français Charles Ollivon (c) Back row (1993-05-11) 11 May 1993 (age 31) 23 France Toulon Yoan Tanga Back row (1996-11-29) 29 November 1996 (age 27) 0 France Racing 92 Selevasio Tolofua Back row (1997-05-31) 31 May 1997 (age 27) 1 France Toulouse Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer Back row (1997-06-13) 13 June 1997 (age 27) 0 France Bordeaux Baptiste Couilloud Scrum-half (1997-07-22) 22 July 1997 (age 26) 8 France Lyon Nolann Le Garrec Scrum-half (2002-05-14) 14 May 2002 (age 22) 0 France Racing 92 Maxime Lucu Scrum-half (1993-01-12) 12 January 1993 (age 31) 7 France Bordeaux Louis Carbonel Fly-half (1999-02-04) 4 February 1999 (age 25) 5 France Toulon Antoine Hastoy Fly-half (1997-06-04) 4 June 1997 (age 27) 1 France Pau Matthieu Jalibert Fly-half (1998-11-06) 6 November 1998 (age 25) 15 France Bordeaux Jules Favre Centre (1999-03-22) 22 March 1999 (age 25) 0 France La Rochelle Louis Le Brun Centre (2002-02-22) 22 February 2002 (age 22) 0 France Castres Yoram Moefana Centre (2000-07-18) 18 July 2000 (age 23) 6 France Bordeaux Virimi Vakatawa Centre (1992-05-01) 1 May 1992 (age 32) 30 France Racing 92 Tani Vili Centre (2000-10-31) 31 October 2000 (age 23) 0 France Clermont Rémy Baget Wing (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 26) 0 France Bayonne Matthis Lebel Wing (1999-03-25) 25 March 1999 (age 25) 2 France Toulouse Damian Penaud Wing (1996-09-25) 25 September 1996 (age 27) 32 France Clermont Enzo Reybier Wing (2002-04-04) 4 April 2002 (age 22) 0 France Oyonnax Romain Buros Fullback (1997-07-31) 31 July 1997 (age 26) 0 France Bordeaux Melvyn Jaminet Fullback (1999-06-30) 30 June 1999 (age 25) 11 France Perpignan Aymeric Luc Fullback (1997-10-14) 14 October 1997 (age 26) 0 France Toulon Max Spring Fullback (2001-03-15) 15 March 2001 (age 23) 0 France Racing 92

Japan

On 31 May, a 34-man squad was named for Japan's 2-test series against Uruguay and their 2-test series against France.

On 7 June, Yutaka Nagare withdrew from the squad due to injury and "Toshiya Takahashi was called up as his replacement."

On 17 June, Craig Millar withdrew from the squad due to injury and Shogo Miura was called up as his replacement. Also called up were, Takayasu Tsuji, Wimpie van der Walt and Tevita Tatafu.

On 27 June, Kaito Shigeno joined up with the squad ahead of Japan's 2-test series against France replacing Toshiya Takahashi and Amanaki Saumaki also withdrew due to injury.

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province Daigo Hashimoto Hooker (1994-01-28) 28 January 1994 (age 30) 2 Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo Shota Horie Hooker (1986-01-21) 21 January 1986 (age 38) 67 Saitama Wild Knights Atsushi Sakate Hooker (1993-06-21) 21 June 1993 (age 31) 28 Saitama Wild Knights Asaeli Ai Valu Prop (1989-05-07) 7 May 1989 (age 35) 21 Saitama Wild Knights Keita Inagaki Prop (1990-06-02) 2 June 1990 (age 34) 40 Saitama Wild Knights Shinnosuke Kakinaga Prop (1991-12-19) 19 December 1991 (age 32) 20 Tokyo Sungoliath Yusuke Kizu Prop (1995-03-12) 12 March 1995 (age 29) 4 Toyota Verblitz Shogo Miura Prop (1995-06-08) 8 June 1995 (age 29) 9 Toyota Verblitz Yukio Morikawa Prop (1993-02-06) 6 February 1993 (age 31) 0 Tokyo Sungoliath Warner Dearns Lock (2002-04-11) 11 April 2002 (age 22) 2 Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo Takayasu Tsuji Lock (1995-10-28) 28 October 1995 (age 28) 0 Tokyo Sungoliath Wimpie van der Walt Lock (1989-01-06) 6 January 1989 (age 35) 19 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes Osaka Sanaila Waqa Lock (1995-07-17) 17 July 1995 (age 28) 1 Hanazono Kintetsu Liners Jack Cornelsen Back row (1994-10-13) 13 October 1994 (age 29) 7 Saitama Wild Knights Masato Furukawa Back row (1996-12-06) 6 December 1996 (age 27) 3 Toyota Verblitz Ben Gunter Back row (1997-10-24) 24 October 1997 (age 26) 3 Saitama Wild Knights Lappies Labuschagné Back row (1989-01-11) 11 January 1989 (age 35) 13 Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay Michael Leitch Back row (1988-10-07) 7 October 1988 (age 35) 73 Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo Faulua Makisi Back row (1997-01-20) 20 January 1997 (age 27) 3 Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay Tevita Tatafu Back row (1996-01-02) 2 January 1996 (age 28) 10 Tokyo Sungoliath Daiki Nakajima Scrum-half (1996-03-25) 25 March 1996 (age 28) 3 Kobelco Kobe Steelers Naoto Saito Scrum-half (1997-08-26) 26 August 1997 (age 26) 7 Tokyo Sungoliath Kaito Shigeno Scrum-half (1990-11-21) 21 November 1990 (age 33) 14 Toyota Verblitz Hayata Nakao Fly-half (1995-01-20) 20 January 1995 (age 29) 0 Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo Takuya Yamasawa Fly-half (1994-09-21) 21 September 1994 (age 29) 4 Saitama Wild Knights Lee Seung-sin Fly-half (2001-01-13) 13 January 2001 (age 23) 1 Kobelco Kobe Steelers Yusuke Kajimura Centre (1995-09-13) 13 September 1995 (age 28) 2 Yokohama Canon Eagles Shogo Nakano Centre (1997-06-11) 11 June 1997 (age 27) 3 Tokyo Sungoliath Dylan Riley Centre (1997-05-02) 2 May 1997 (age 27) 5 Saitama Wild Knights Siosaia Fifita Wing (1998-12-20) 20 December 1998 (age 25) 7 Hanazono Kintetsu Liners Jone Naikabula Wing (1994-03-12) 12 March 1994 (age 30) 0 Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo Taichi Takahashi Wing (1996-05-24) 24 May 1996 (age 28) 0 Toyota Verblitz Gerhard van den Heever Wing (1989-04-13) 13 April 1989 (age 35) 1 Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay Rakuhei Yamashita Wing (1991-01-30) 30 January 1991 (age 33) 0 Kobelco Kobe Steelers Ryuji Noguchi Fullback (1995-07-15) 15 July 1995 (age 28) 14 Saitama Wild Knights Ryohei Yamanaka Fullback (1988-06-22) 22 June 1988 (age 36) 22 Kobelco Kobe Steelers

Matches

First test

2 July 2022
15:00 JST (UTC+09)
Japan 23–42 France
Try: Tatafu 13' c
Fifita 80+1' c
Con: Shigeno (1/1) 14'
Lee Seung-sin (1/1) 80+2'
Pen: Shigeno (1/1) 14'
Lee Seung-sin (1/1) 26', 54'
Try: Penaud (2) 3' c, 58' c
Lebel 43' c
Moefana 61' m
Bourgarit 69' c
Con: Jaminet (4/5) 4', 45', 59', 70'
Pen: Jaminet (3/3) 18', 29', 54'
Toyota Stadium, Toyota
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Team details
FB 15 Ryohei Yamanaka
RW 14 Gerhard van den Heever downward-facing red arrow 51'
OC 13 Dylan Riley
IC 12 Shogo Nakano downward-facing red arrow 63'
LW 11 Siosaia Fifita
FH 10 Takuya Yamasawa
SH 9 Kaito Shigeno downward-facing red arrow 51'
N8 8 Tevita Tatafu (c) downward-facing red arrow 51'
BF 7 Ben Gunter
OF 6 Michael Leitch
RL 5 Jack Cornelsen
LL 4 Wimpie van der Walt downward-facing red arrow 59'
TP 3 Asaeli Ai Valu downward-facing red arrow 70'
HK 2 Atsushi Sakate downward-facing red arrow 70'
LP 1 Keita Inagaki downward-facing red arrow 51'
Replacements:
HK 16 Daigo Hashimoto upward-facing green arrow 70'
PR 17 Yukio Morikawa upward-facing green arrow 51'
PR 18 Shinnosuke Kakinaga upward-facing green arrow 70'
LK 19 Warner Dearns upward-facing green arrow 59'
FL 20 Faulua Makisi upward-facing green arrow 51'
SH 21 Daiki Nakajima upward-facing green arrow 51'
FH 22 Lee Seung-sin upward-facing green arrow 63'
WG 23 Taichi Takahashi upward-facing green arrow 51'
Coach:
New Zealand Jamie Joseph
FB 15 Melvyn Jaminet
RW 14 Damian Penaud
OC 13 Virimi Vakatawa downward-facing red arrow 63'
IC 12 Yoram Moefana
LW 11 Matthis Lebel
FH 10 Matthieu Jalibert downward-facing red arrow 70'
SH 9 Maxime Lucu downward-facing red arrow 59'
N8 8 Yoan Tanga downward-facing red arrow 63'
OF 7 Dylan Cretin
BF 6 Charles Ollivon (c)
RL 5 Thomas Jolmès downward-facing red arrow 44'
LL 4 Thibaud Flament
TP 3 Demba Bamba downward-facing red arrow 47'
HK 2 Peato Mauvaka downward-facing red arrow 50' upward-facing green arrow 73'
LP 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros downward-facing red arrow 47'
Replacements:
HK 16 Pierre Bourgarit upward-facing green arrow 50' downward-facing red arrow 73'
PR 17 Dany Priso upward-facing green arrow 47'
PR 18 Sipili Falatea upward-facing green arrow 47'
LK 19 Thomas Lavault upward-facing green arrow 44'
FL 20 Selevasio Tolofua upward-facing green arrow 63'
FL 21 Sekou Macalou upward-facing green arrow 63'
SH 22 Baptiste Couilloud upward-facing green arrow 59'
FH 23 Antoine Hastoy upward-facing green arrow 70'
Coach:
France Fabien Galthié

Assistant referees:
Chris Busby (Ireland)
Shuhei Kubo (Japan) (Replaced Mike Adamson 2 days out from the game)
Television match official:
Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

Notes:

Second test

9 July 2022
14:50 JST (UTC+09)
Japan 15–20 France
Try: Yamanaka (2) 12' m, 40' c
Con: Lee Seung-sin (1/1) 40+1'
Pen: Lee Seung-sin (1/1) 19'
Try: Lebel 9' c
Couilloud 71' c
Con: Lucu (1/1) 10'
Jalibert (1/1) 72'
Pen: Lucu (1/1) 44'
Jalibert (1/1) 61'
National Stadium, Tokyo
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Team details
FB 15 Ryohei Yamanaka
RW 14 Gerhard van den Heever
OC 13 Dylan Riley
IC 12 Shogo Nakano downward-facing red arrow 58'
LW 11 Siosaia Fifita
FH 10 Lee Seung-sin downward-facing red arrow 65'
SH 9 Naoto Saito downward-facing red arrow 65'
N8 8 Jack Cornelsen
BF 7 Ben Gunter
OF 6 Michael Leitch
RL 5 Sanaila Waqa downward-facing red arrow 57'
LL 4 Warner Dearns downward-facing red arrow 67'
TP 3 Asaeli Ai Valu downward-facing red arrow 61'
HK 2 Atsushi Sakate (c) downward-facing red arrow 58'
LP 1 Keita Inagaki
Replacements:
HK 16 Shota Horie upward-facing green arrow 58'
PR 17 Yukio Morikawa
PR 18 Yusuke Kizu upward-facing green arrow 61'
LK 19 Takayasu Tsuji upward-facing green arrow 67'
FL 20 Tevita Tatafu upward-facing green arrow 57'
SH 21 Kaito Shigeno upward-facing green arrow 65'
FH 22 Yu Tamura upward-facing green arrow 65'
CE 23 Shane Gates upward-facing green arrow 58'
Coach:
New Zealand Jamie Joseph
FB 15 Max Spring
RW 14 Damian Penaud downward-facing red arrow 64'
OC 13 Virimi Vakatawa
IC 12 Yoram Moefana
LW 11 Matthis Lebel
FH 10 Matthieu Jalibert
SH 9 Maxime Lucu downward-facing red arrow 50'
N8 8 Yoan Tanga
OF 7 Charles Ollivon (c)
BF 6 Dylan Cretin downward-facing red arrow 43'
RL 5 Thomas Jolmès downward-facing red arrow 43'
LL 4 Thibaud Flament
TP 3 Demba Bamba downward-facing red arrow 46'
HK 2 Peato Mauvaka downward-facing red arrow 43'
LP 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros downward-facing red arrow 46'
Replacements:
HK 16 Pierre Bourgarit upward-facing green arrow 43'
PR 17 Dany Priso upward-facing green arrow 46'
PR 18 Sipili Falatea upward-facing green arrow 46'
LK 19 Thomas Lavault upward-facing green arrow 43'
FL 20 Ibrahim Diallo upward-facing green arrow 43'
FL 21 Sekou Macalou upward-facing green arrow 64'
SH 22 Baptiste Couilloud upward-facing green arrow 50'
FH 23 Antoine Hastoy
Coach:
France Fabien Galthié

Assistant referees:
Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Chris Busby (Ireland)
Television match official:
Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

Notes:

  • Max Spring (France) made his international debut.
  • France equals his record winning streak of 10 consecutive international test matches.

Climatic conditions

The hot weather had been a major concern. At kick off of the first match, it recorded 34.5°C in Toyota. 24 hours before the first match, Toyota city recorded a historic high 39.8°C. As a result, three water breaks were put in place during each half of the match. Just after kick off of the second match, it recorded 31.5°C in Tokyo. Water breaks were also in place.

Condolences to Shinzo Abe

Before the second match, the 57,000 crowd observed a minute's silence for the assassination of Shinzo Abe. After the match, French captain Charles Ollivon offered a French jersey with the name "Abe Shinzo" printed. Abe was a keen supporter of Japanese rugby. He visited the Japan dressing room during the 2019 Rugby World Cup and invited the team to the prime minister's office.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Japan's Brave Blossoms to host France in two July tests". The Japan Times. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Men's World Rankings". World Rugby. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Japan to host France for two Tests in July". Sky Sports. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  4. ^ 吉田宏 (2022-07-04). "1.5軍の世界2位フランスに敗戦 "手の内隠した"ラグビー日本代表、W杯への収穫とは". The Answer – via Yahoo Japan.
  5. ^ "France rally again to win second Test against Japan in Tokyo". Irish Times. 2022-07-09.
  6. ^ Heagney, Liam (23 June 2022). "Shaun Edwards didn't fly to Japan with France on Wednesday night". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  7. ^ Mathieu, Bastien (25 June 2022). "Aymeric Luc et Max Spring négatifs". FFR (in French). Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Le Japon en juillet, l'Afrique du Sud en novembre : le programme des Bleus en 2022 !". 13 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  9. ^ "名古屋 2022年7月2日(10分ごとの値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. 2022-07-02.
  10. ^ "汗3リットル、体重5キロ減 炎天下のラグビー代表戦に涼しい顔の訳". Mainichi Shimbun. 2022-07-02.
  11. ^ "10分おきのウォーターブレイク。「気候条件について不平不満を述べる者はいません。しかし、安全の考慮は重要」。フランス代表、最善の準備を経て第1テストマッチへ". Rugby Republic. 2022-07-02.
  12. ^ "東京 2022年7月9日(10分ごとの値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. 2022-07-09.
  13. ^ 松瀬学 (2022-07-11). "「安倍さんのご供養のためにも勝ちたかった」。強豪フランスに惜敗したラグビー日本代表のリーチマイケル". Yahoo Japan. Archived from the original on 2022-07-11.
  14. ^ "Japan rugby players remember Abe after emotional France Test". Channel News Asia. 2022-07-10.

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