Japan have produced a spirited second-half display to draw 23-23 with France at the U Arena in Nanterre.
France ended a run of five-straight international defeats but failed to build on a first-half lead of 13-8 after Rabah Slimani went over to add to two Francois Trinh-Duc penalties.
The Brave Blossoms, who last weekend beat Tonga 39-6 in Toulouse, swiftly got themselves back into the contest after a try from Timothy Lafaele, which Yu Tamura converted to put the tourists ahead.
However, after Gabriel Lacroix’s try and another Trinh-Duc penalty, his fifth successful kick at goal for the night, Les Bleus looked set to lift the pressure on Guy Noves as they moved into the closing stages 23-18 ahead.
Japan, though, responded once again as Shintaro Ishihara went over with just seven minutes left to tie the match.
Tamura missed the conversion for what could have been a remarkable Test win.
DavSA
Guest
Watched quite a bit of French pro 14 . The standards are very good . Even with the plethora of foreign players it still does not explain the decline of the Tricolours . To a certain extent the likes of Carter , Habana , Bismarck should also encourage higher standards amongst home grown French players. I really do not follow their national side too closely but question marks about coaching staff as in SA need to be looked at . When France recently played the 3 tester in SA a number of their players looked really big mobile and decent players .
bert
Guest
Compare with NZ who have virtually no imports
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Doesn't seem to hurt England though.
piru
Roar Rookie
As in Shintaro The Samurai?
R2D2
Guest
Japan play a really nice brand of rugby ,that suits them as they lack a true power game, but when they develop that they will be a hand full for any nation.
bert
Guest
Too many highly-paid foreigners in the French domestic game are starving home-grown talent of opportunity. See England soccer for the blueprint.
Mike Julz
Guest
The very definition of underestimating a team.
adastra32
Guest
Aaaaah, the French.....most of the rest of the 6N is looking forward to playing them on this performance.
Harry Jones
Expert
They're going to shock some top tier nation in a World Cup one day ... Oh, wait!
Connor33
Guest
Brilliant result.
Peter
Guest
Shintaro! What a splendid name for a Brave Blossom! (If you were born after 1980, go and look it up :-)
Eddard
Guest
Japan were the better team and should have won. They created a lot more opportunities than France and probably should have scored another 2 or 3 tries. The missed conversion at the end was a shame. Still, very good result for them. France on the other hand is in disarray.
rebel
Guest
Well done Japan. Hopefully they keep building.