Six tries to two, an attacking bonus point and top spot: in the Tokyo humidity, France used their power to see off Japan (42-15) in round three of the 2026 Nations Championship. Driven by a scintillating Matthieu Jalibert, Fabien Galthié’s men had the match won before the break.

A pack that lays down the law

France wasted no time. As early as the 2nd minute, from a first attack finished off with a kick to the corner, hooker Maxime Lamothe forced his way over (0-7). The start could not have been better.

Eddie Jones’ Japan, stubborn as ever, did win the ball back. A penalty from full-back Takuro Matsunaga (10th minute), then a try from wing Kippei Ishida after a poor French exit, even put the Brave Blossoms in front (8-7, 15th). The revival was short-lived. Dominant at the maul and in possession, the French pack took control and never let go.

The Hockings turning point, the Jalibert show

During a long spell of dominance, scrum-half Maxime Lucu found Romain Ntamack, whose pass sent Jalibert away down the touchline (19th). Immediately afterwards, Japan lock Harry Hockings was shown a yellow card for collapsing the maul.

A man down, Japan fell away. Alexandre Roumat, on his return to the side (23rd), then Lucu himself (30th) took the score to 28-8 before the break, despite a try from prop Sojiro Otsuka (35th). France turned round twenty points clear.

The senior men deliver

With two tries to his name, Jalibert was head and shoulders above the rest: 89 metres made, 14 carries and 10 defenders beaten. The France full-back was involved in everything good.

Pulling the strings, Lucu combined game management with efficiency, with a try, five conversions from six and 52 passes delivered. Opposite him, Japan could rely on scrum-half Naoto Saito (94 passes) and the tireless back-rower Ben Gunter (20 tackles), without ever carrying enough weight to trouble the French defence.

Two scares in the first half

Not everything was perfect for France. As early as the 6th minute, Lenni Nouchi and Florian Verhaeghe left the field for head injury assessments, giving way to Killian Tixeront and Hugo Auradou.

The Montpellier back-rower came back on in the 17th minute to produce one of his best matches in a France shirt. The Union Bordeaux-Bègles lock, troubled from the off, gave way for good at the break. A worry to keep an eye on before the November fixtures.

A controlled second half

After the interval, the script did not change. Jalibert (42nd) and then Lamothe (50th), both already on a brace, took the tally to 42-15.

Reduced to fourteen twice after yellow cards for Jalibert (57th) and back-rower Marko Gazzotti (76th), France eased off in the closing stages. On in the 67th minute, Toulouse scrum-half Paul Graou marked his first cap among a bench that was heavily used.

Top of the northern pool

With the attacking bonus point, this win is worth more than prestige alone. On the same day, Ireland were heavily beaten at Eden Park by New Zealand (40-21), without a single bonus point.

France, also beaten by the All Blacks in their opener but credited with two bonus points, therefore end the first set of fixtures top of the northern hemisphere group, two points clear of Ireland. The two nations will meet again in November for the return matches, against the same opponents: South Africa, Argentina and Fiji.