The international rugby match between Japan and France will take place on Saturday, July 2 at the City of Toyota Stadium. This will be the first time the two teams have played each other since the 2019 Rugby World Cup, where Japan narrowly lost to eventual champions in South Africa in the quarter-finals.
Japan will look to exact revenge on France and will be keen to prove that their World Cup performance was no fluke. The Japanese side is full of talented players, including captain Michael Leitch, who will look to lead his team to victory.
France will look to continue their recent run of suitable form. The French team is full of experienced players and will look to use their experience to defeat the Japanese side.
The match will be an exciting one, and both teams will look to give their fans something to cheer about.
Lineup
Japan:
1. Shota Horie
2. Keita Inagaki
3. Asaeli Valu
4. Luke Thompson
5. James Moore
6. Michael Leitch (c)
7. Lappies Labuschagne
8. Amanaki Mafi
9. Yutaka Nagare
10. Ryoto Nakamura
11. Lomano Lemeki
12. Ryoto Nakamura
13. William Tupou
14. Kotaro Matsushima
15. Ryohei Yamanaka
France:
1. Jefferson Poirot
2. Guilhem Guirado (c)
3. Demba Bamba
4. Bernard le Roux
5. Yoann Maestri
6. Wenceslas Lauret
7. Arthur Iturria
8. Louis Picamoles
9. Antoine Dupont
10. Romain Ntamack
11. Teddy Thomas
12. Gael Fickou
13. Virimi Vakatawa
14. Damian Penaud
15. Maxime Medard
Prediction
Japan will look to use their speed and agility to defeat the French team. The Japanese side is full of talented players and will look to take advantage of the French team’s lack of experience.
France will look to use their experience to defeat the Japanese side. The French team is full of experienced players and will look to use their experience to defeat the Japanese side.
Japan to win by 7 points
Japan and France have met six times in the past, with France winning five matches.
2015: France won 26-23
2014: France won 30-10
2012: France won 49-10
2011: Japan won 23-20
2009: France won 47-21
2007: France won 31-26
Head-to-Head
Japan and France have played each other three times in the past, with France winning all three matches.
The last time the two teams met was in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, where Japan narrowly lost to eventual champions in South Africa in the quarter-finals.
How to Watch?
The game will be available to watch on TV in Japan on NHK and J Sports, and in France on France Télévisions and beIN Sports. The match will also be streamed live on World Rugby’s digital channels and various other broadcasters’ platforms around the world.
Conclusion:
The two teams are evenly matched, but Japan has the slight edge because of their home advantage. The final score is likely to be very close, but Japan is predicted to win by a few points.
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