France rounded off a successful three-week tour with a 42-15 victory over Japan in the Nations Championship at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday, with captain Maxime Lucu scoring 15 points and Matthieu Jalibert and Maxime Lamothe touching down twice each.
The Six Nations champions led 28-15 at half-time after an opening 40 minutes in which Japan matched them physically, then pulled clear with two early second-half tries. Lucu, who converted five of his side's six tries and added one of his own, was influential throughout as France dominated the aerial contest and repeatedly gained territory and possession from kicks.
France opened the scoring in the second minute when hooker Lamothe drove over from a close-range lineout. Japan hit back to take a one-point lead on the quarter-hour, fullback Takuro Matsunaga kicking a penalty before sparking a long-range counter-attacking try finished by winger Kippei Ishida in the left corner. France regained the ascendancy over the next 20 minutes: Jalibert crossed in the 19th after sustained forward pressure — a passage that earned Japan lock Harry Hockings a yellow card — and No. 8 Alexandre Roumat added a third try in the 23rd. Lucu darted over on the half-hour after a strong run into contact from Lamothe to secure a bonus point, and Japan's reply four minutes before the break left the score at 28-15.