The Blues easily beat Japan 52-12 this Saturday evening for their reunion with the Stade de France. It will be much tougher in a week against the All Blacks.
We suspected that the Blues would not need to draw on their reserves to overcome a Japanese team in clear decline since 2019 and a particularly successful home World Cup. But the enthusiasm was fleeting, the resources allocated to the Brave Blossoms were reduced, add the isolation experienced for 18 months during the Covid pandemic and, five years later, the Japanese selection is only the shadow of the one who beat Ireland and Scotland five years ago on home soil.
Antoine Dupont and his teammates did not have to strain their talent to score a string of tries. In the first half, they experienced two scares. A clearance from Dupont blocked from the 20the second by the giant Dearns, taken over by Léo Barré while he was racing. And, just before the break, finally a Japanese test, finally canceled after video refereeing. On a big tackle from François Cros a Japanese forward had committed a forward attack.
Wounded Flament
Between the two? Five trials registered. Including four on more or less the same scenario. Louis Bielle-Biarrey, untenable on his wing, made his opposite number Naikabula suffer. For two personal essays (4e et 27e). Gailleton (10e) and Roumat (19e) have also flattened in this left corner. Twice, the decisive pass was sent to the foot by Thomas Ramos. The weak point was well and truly identified.
The 5e test of the first period was, too, like on parade. A combination in touch between Peato Mauvaka and Antoine Dupont to send the Toulouse hooker to score his 10e test under the blue jersey (34e). And return to the locker room at the break with the match already won (31-0). The only concern to highlight is Thibaud Flament’s rib injury, making the Toulouse second-row’s participation against the All Blacks next Saturday uncertain.
Ramos recital
The second period begins at the same tempo. It only takes a minute for the Blues to score their 6e test via Toulon pillar Jean-Baptiste Gros. In the process, it was Dupont’s turn to flatten. But he is refused after video for a forward pass. 38-0 anyway. Before the first Japanese points. Small hesitation in the French ranks which the opener and captain of the Brave Blossoms, Tatekawa, takes advantage of to save the honor of his team (38-7, 49e).
Fabien Galthié took advantage of the size of the score to make a large turnover. Among the entrants, Matthieu Jalibert (51e) then, ten minutes later, Maxime Lucu to let Antoine Dupont rest before the clash against the All Blacks next Saturday. The last half hour, hardly exciting, saw replacement Paul Boudehent score two tries (53e64e) and the Japanese third line of the UBB – and namesake of the tricolor neo-pillar -, Tatafu register the second of his team (60e). And Ramos continued his performance by converting six of his team’s eight tries for an easy victory, 52 to 12. A trial run before, in a week and still at the Stade de France, challenging the All Blacks. It will be a different set of challenges against the New Zealanders who have just beaten England at Twickenham then Ireland in Dublin…
