Japan, France ready for tussle in steamy Tokyo

Japan and France are preparing for a heavyweight arm-wrestle in Tokyo on Saturday, with the heat and humidity set to turn their Nations Championship contest into a forwards' battle.

The mercury is forecast to hover around 30C in the Japanese capital, with the possibility of rain making a fast and accurate passing game even more unlikely.

Both teams have made wholesale changes to their front rows, as France arrive in Tokyo fresh from a 42-26 demolition of Australia in Brisbane.

Japan showed spirit in a 36-20 defeat to Ireland last week in Newcastle, Australia, and coach Eddie Jones said his team were "looking forward to having that challenge of stopping the French attack".

"One of the things we've got to do is put pressure on the source, the lineout or the scrum, and then we've just got to keep pressure on the ball," he said.

"We can create mistakes, we can create opportunities to play the rugby we're really good at."

Jones has shuffled his forward pack, bringing in debutant flanker Esei Haangana as well as a new front row of Sojiro Otsuka, Hayate Era and Keijiro Tamefusa.

He believes his forwards are "well-equipped to handle" a French pack spearheaded by incoming trio Regis Montagne, Maxime Lamothe and Jefferson Poirot.

Alexandre Roumat replaces the injured Oscar Jegou in the back row in the only other change to France's starting line-up.

France coach Fabien Galthie said he was "not completely satisfied" with his team's scrum against Australia.

He is hoping for an improvement on Saturday, but he is wary of a Japan side who "know how to play in these weather conditions, which come as a huge shock to European teams".

"On Tuesday and Wednesday, we suffered a lot in training and we'll suffer a lot on Saturday, partly because the Japanese are capable of putting great pace into their game," said Galthie.

"And also because of the weather, which is really special."

- Friends reunited -

Both teams head into the game with one win and one loss apiece in the inaugural Nations Championship.

Japan beat Italy 27-10 in their opener in Tokyo before losing to Ireland, while France were edged 34-32 by the All Blacks in New Zealand before thrashing the Wallabies.

Japan and France will meet again at next year's Rugby World Cup in Australia, where they have been drawn in Pool E and will face off in Brisbane.

Japan scrum-half Naoto Saito is already familiar with French rugby, having played for Toulouse and won this season's Top 14 title.

Jones said it was "an important game" for Saito, who will again link up with university fly-half Ryunosuke Ito in the half-backs.

Saito could come up against his former Toulouse teammate Paul Graou, who has been named on the France bench and is in line to win his first cap.

Galthie said scrum-half Graou "deserves" his call-up after deputising for Antoine Dupont at club level.

Ultimately, both teams are expecting their forwards to take centre stage in what could be a physical end to the inaugural Nations Championship's Southern Hemisphere series.

"If it's wet, it's probably going to be a bit more of a forward battle, so their front row, their tight five are going to be really important for their team," said Japan captain Warner Dearns.

"But we're confident that we can go out and pressure them and stop them."

amk/lga

© Agence France-Presse