Japan 15–42 France: match report & highlights

Jul 18, 2026

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Full-time: Japan 15 – 42 France

France dominated this Nations Championship encounter, overwhelming Japan with a relentless attacking display that left the hosts chasing the game throughout. The French struck early through Maxime Lamothe in the opening minutes, and though Japan responded with a try from Kippei Ishida to briefly threaten, France's attacking prowess proved too much. Matthieu Jalibert and Alexandre Roumat extended the advantage, and Maxime Lucu's boot kept the scoreboard ticking over as France built a commanding lead by the interval.

The second half saw France continue their dominance, with Lamothe securing his second try as France's forwards and backline clicked in devastating fashion. Despite Japan's spirited efforts, they lacked the firepower to challenge France's superior execution. Yellow cards for Jalibert and later Gazzotti briefly disrupted France's flow, but they had already secured the result well before the final whistle, their comprehensive performance underscoring their class and control throughout a match that was decided long before the concluding stages.

Key moments

52' 52' Conversion: Maxime Lucu (France) — Japan 15 – 42 France
51' 51' Try: Maxime Lamothe (France) — Japan 15 – 40 France
44' 44' Conversion: Romain Ntamack (France) — Japan 15 – 35 France
43' 43' Try: Matthieu Jalibert (France) — Japan 15 – 33 France
36' 36' Conversion: Takuro Matsunaga (Japan) — Japan 15 – 28 France
35' 35' Try: Sojiro Otsuka (Japan) — Japan 13 – 28 France
31' 31' Conversion: Maxime Lucu (France) — Japan 8 – 28 France
30' 30' Try: Maxime Lucu (France) — Japan 8 – 26 France
24' 24' Conversion: Maxime Lucu (France) — Japan 8 – 21 France
23' 23' Try: Alexandre Roumat (France) — Japan 8 – 19 France
20' 20' Conversion: Maxime Lucu (France) — Japan 8 – 14 France
19' 19' Try: Matthieu Jalibert (France) — Japan 8 – 12 France
15' 15' Try: Kippei Ishida (Japan) — Japan 8 – 7 France
10' 10' Penalty: Takuro Matsunaga (Japan) — Japan 3 – 7 France
3' 3' Conversion: Maxime Lucu (France) — Japan 0 – 7 France
2' 2' Try: Maxime Lamothe (France) — Japan 0 – 5 France

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Highlights

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