In July 2022,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

played a two-test series against

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

as part of the

2022 mid-year rugby union tests The 2022 mid-year rugby union internationals (also known as the summer internationals in the Northern Hemisphere) were international rugby union matches that were mostly played in the Southern Hemisphere during the July international window. Fo ...

. The first test was played at Toyota Stadium in

Aichi is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefectu ...

on 2 July, followed by the second test at

Japan National Stadium The Japan National Stadium, officially named and formerly known as or , is a multi-purpose stadium used mostly for association football in Kasumigaoka, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The facility served as the main stadium for the opening and c ...

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

on 9 July. Coming into the series, France were ranked in second place in the

World Rugby Rankings The World Rugby Rankings (formerly the IRB Rankings) is a ranking system for national teams in rugby union, managed by World Rugby, the sport's governing body. There are separate men's and women's rankings. The teams of World Rugby's member nation ...

, 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 The 2017 end-of-year rugby union internationals, also known as the November internationals, or autumn internationals in the Northern Hemisphere, were international rugby union matches in 2017. Rugby Championship winners New Zealand travelled to Fr ...

, which ended up in a 23-23 draw.

Fixtures

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: ¹ On 23 June 2022,

Dorian Aldegheri Dorian Aldegheri (born 4 August 1993) is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for Top 14 club Toulouse and the France national team. Professional career Aldegheri won his first cap for France as a replacement in the si ...

withdrew from the squad following a thigh injury, while

Aymeric Luc Aymeric Luc (born 14 October 1997) is a French rugby union player, who plays for RC Toulon. He was first called to the French national senior team by Fabien Galthié on the 26 October 2021, for the autumn internationals, after Virimi Vakatawa ...

and

Max Spring Max Spring (born 15 March 2001) is a French rugby union player. He currently plays as a fullback for Racing 92 in the Top 14. His father is a former New Zealand player who settled down in France and his mother is from French Basque Country. ...

were on standby, being

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

positive like assistant coaches

Shaun Edwards Shaun Edwards, OBE (born 17 October 1966) is an English rugby union coach and former rugby league player, who is the defence coach for the France national team. A or , Edwards is the most decorated player in rugby league history, with 37 wi ...

and

Laurent Labit Laurent Labit (born 8 May 1973) is a retired French rugby union footballer, and current backs coach of the French national team. Early life Labit was born in Revel, France. He began his playing career in his home town of Rugby Club Revélois b ...

. On 25 June 2022, Luc and Spring tested negative and joined the rest of the team in

. Head coach:

Fabien Galthié Fabien Galthié (; born 20 March 1969) is a French rugby union coach and former player, he is currently the head coach of the French national team. His usual position was at scrum-half. He played much of his club rugby for Colomiers, and later ...

Japan

On 31 May, a 34-man squad was named for Japan's 2-test series against

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

and their 2-test series against

. On 7 June,

Yutaka Nagare is a Japanese international rugby union player who plays as a Scrum-half. He currently plays for in Super Rugby and Suntory Sungoliath in Japan's domestic Top League Japan Rugby League One (formerly the Top League) is a rugby union com ...

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. *Head Coach:

Jamie Joseph James Whitinui Joseph (born 21 November 1969) is a New Zealand-born Japanese former rugby union player and current rugby union coach. A flanker, Joseph represented Otago at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, ...

Matches

First test

Notes: *

Thomas Jolmès Thomas Jolmès (born 8 October 1995) is a French rugby union player. He currently plays as a lock for Bordeaux Bègles in the Top 14. Career After playing for Grenoble, La Rochelle and Toulon at the highest level, Thomas Jolmès signed for Bor ...

Yoan Tanga Yoan Tanga Mangene (born 29 November 1996) is a French professional rugby union player. He plays number eight and centre for Top 14 club La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle''; oc, La Rochèla ) is a city ...

and

Thomas Lavault Thomas Lavault (born 3 May 1999) is a French rugby union player. His position is Rugby union positions#Lock, Lock and he currently plays for Stade Rochelais in the Top 14. Honours Club Stade Rochelais, La Rochelle *European Rugby Champions Cu ...

(France) made their international debuts. * France winning-streak of 9 consecutive test matches is their best series since 1937.

Second test

Notes: *

(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 Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister of Japan and a serving member of the House of Representatives, was assassinated on 8 July 2022 while speaking at a political event outside Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Whil ...

. After the match, French captain

Charles Ollivon Charles Ollivon (born 11 May 1993) is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Top 14 club Toulon and the France national team. Club career Ollivon started his rugby career in the Academy Bayonne side at the age of ...

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 The 2019 Rugby World Cup was the ninth edition of the Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's rugby union teams. It was hosted in Japan from 20 September to 2 November in 12 venues all across the country. The opening match ...

and invited the team to the prime minister's office.

References

{{reflist France national rugby union team tours Rugby union tours of Japan France rugby union tour of Japan France rugby union tour of Japan