TV Guide Leagues Teams

Japan Japan 15 - 42 France France

Full time

18 Jul 2026

Nations Championship

Stage: Southern Hemisphere Round 3

MUFG Stadium

Japan vs France head to head

馃帀 4
馃憦 4
馃敟 4

France started strongly, with Lamothe scoring the opening try just a minute into the game, followed by a conversion from Lucu. Japan responded with a penalty from Matsunaga and a try by Ishida, briefly taking the lead at 8-7. However, a yellow card for Hockings allowed France to capitalize, scoring four tries in quick succession, including another from Jalibert. Japan managed to add a try from Otsuka before halftime, but trailed 28-15 at the break. In the second half, France continued their dominance, with Jalibert and Lucu adding to their tally. The French side showcased their attacking prowess, finishing with a total of six tries and an impressive conversion rate. Japan struggled to keep up, ultimately succumbing to a 42-15 defeat at home.

Broadcasters

Where to watch in: Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom

Highlights

Events

  • Kickoff
  • 1'

    Try

    Maxime Lamothe 路 France

    0 - 5
  • 2'

    Conversion

    Maxime Lucu 路 France

    0 - 7
  • 6'

    Substitution

    Hugo Auradou on for Florian Verhaeghe 路 France

  • 6'

    Substitution

    Killian Tixeront on for Lenni Nouchi 路 France

  • 9'

    Penalty

    Takuro Matsunaga 路 Japan

    3 - 7
  • 14'

    Try

    Kippei Ishida 路 Japan

    8 - 7
  • 17'

    Yellow Card

    Harry Hockings 路 Japan

  • 17'

    Substitution

    Florian Verhaeghe on for Hugo Auradou 路 France

  • 17'

    Substitution

    Lenni Nouchi on for Killian Tixeront 路 France

  • 18'

    Try

    Matthieu Jalibert 路 France

    8 - 12
  • 19'

    Conversion

    Maxime Lucu 路 France

    8 - 14
  • 22'

    Try

    Alexandre Roumat 路 France

    8 - 19
  • 23'

    Conversion

    Maxime Lucu 路 France

    8 - 21
  • 27'

    Yellow Card Complete

    Harry Hockings 路 Japan

  • 29'

    Try

    Maxime Lucu 路 France

    8 - 26
  • 30'

    Conversion

    Maxime Lucu 路 France

    8 - 28
  • 34'

    Try

    Sojiro Otsuka 路 Japan

    13 - 28
  • 35'

    Conversion

    Takuro Matsunaga 路 Japan

    15 - 28
  • 40'

    Substitution

    Hugo Auradou on for Florian Verhaeghe 路 France

  • Halftime 15 - 28
  • Second Half
  • 42'

    Try

    Matthieu Jalibert 路 France

    15 - 33
  • 43'

    Conversion

    Romain Ntamack 路 France

    15 - 35
  • 48'

    Substitution

    Takato Okabe on for Sojiro Otsuka 路 Japan

  • 48'

    Substitution

    Michael Leitch on for Esei Haangana 路 Japan

  • 50'

    Try

    Maxime Lamothe 路 France

    15 - 40
  • 51'

    Conversion

    Maxime Lucu 路 France

    15 - 42
  • 52'

    Substitution

    Michael Stolberg on for Harry Hockings 路 Japan

  • 52'

    Substitution

    Taira Main on for Kippei Ishida 路 Japan

  • 55'

    Substitution

    Reda Wardi on for Jefferson Poirot 路 France

  • 55'

    Substitution

    Peato Mauvaka on for Maxime Lamothe 路 France

  • 55'

    Substitution

    Sipili Falatea on for Regis Montagne 路 France

  • 55'

    Substitution

    Tom Staniforth on for Emmanuel Meafou 路 France

  • 55'

    Substitution

    Kalvin Gourgues on for Yoram Moefana 路 France

  • 56'

    Substitution

    Izi Sword on for Keijiro Tamefusa 路 Japan

  • 57'

    Yellow Card

    Matthieu Jalibert 路 France

  • 61'

    Substitution

    Kenji Sato on for Hayate Era 路 Japan

  • 61'

    Substitution

    Tiennan Costley on for Jack Cornelsen 路 Japan

  • 61'

    Substitution

    Shunsuke Uenobo on for Ryunosuke Ito 路 Japan

  • 62'

    Substitution

    Killian Tixeront on for Lenni Nouchi 路 France

  • 67'

    Substitution

    Paul Graou on for Maxime Lucu 路 France

  • 67'

    Yellow Card Complete

    Matthieu Jalibert 路 France

  • 76'

    Yellow Card

    Marko Gazzotti 路 France

  • Fulltime 15 - 42

Player ratings

Japan
  • 15 Takuro Matsunaga 6.5
  • 14 Kazuma Ueda 5.7
  • 13 Dylan Riley 6.9
  • 12 Samisoni Tua 6.8
  • 11 Kippei Ishida 6.7
  • 10 Ryunosuke Ito 5.1
  • 9 Naoto Saito 6.0
  • 1 Sojiro Otsuka 6.2
  • 2 Hayate Era 7.0
  • 3 Keijiro Tamefusa 6.3
  • 4 Harry Hockings 5.4
  • 5 Warner Dearns 6.7
  • 6 Esei Haangana 6.5
  • 7 Ben Gunter 8.5
  • 8 Jack Cornelsen 6.2
  • 16 Kenji Sato 6.2
  • 17 Takato Okabe 6.1
  • 18 Izi Sword 6.0
  • 19 Michael Stolberg 5.6
  • 20 Michael Leitch 6.9
  • 21 Tiennan Costley 6.2
  • 22 Taira Main 6.1
  • 23 Shunsuke Uenobo 5.7
France
  • 15 Matthieu Jalibert 8.7
  • 14 Theo Attissogbe 7.8
  • 13 Fabien Brau-Boirie 7.2
  • 12 Yoram Moefana 7.1
  • 11 Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang 6.0
  • 10 Romain Ntamack 6.6
  • 9 Maxime Lucu 7.6
  • 1 Jefferson Poirot 6.2
  • 2 Maxime Lamothe 8.7
  • 3 Regis Montagne 7.4
  • 4 Florian Verhaeghe 6.4
  • 5 Emmanuel Meafou 7.6
  • 6 Lenni Nouchi 7.5
  • 7 Marko Gazzotti 6.7
  • 8 Alexandre Roumat 8.3
  • 16 Peato Mauvaka 6.7
  • 17 Reda Wardi 6.5
  • 18 Sipili Falatea 7.2
  • 19 Hugo Auradou 6.7
  • 20 Tom Staniforth 6.1
  • 21 Killian Tixeront 5.8
  • 22 Paul Graou 6.0
  • 23 Kalvin Gourgues 6.6