The trap has been avoided, and the record is getting closer.
The XV of France largely won (42-23) the first of its two matches in Japan and thus broke its record of post-war victories, stringing together a ninth success in a row in the wake of its Grand Slam victory. in March.
But above all, a revamped team with many executives left on vacation managed to avoid the trap that its opponents tried to set for it.
Speed, heat and constant play.
At Toyota Stadium in Aichi, the tricolor initially faced almost everything they had announced to expect from their confrontations against Japan.
In a meeting where the stifling dampness forced the players to empty all the bottles of water they found on hand during the cool breaks, Fabien Galthié's men got off to a perfect start with a remote-controlled test from Damian Penaud (3rd ) on the first scrum of the Blues in the Japanese camp.
Before the Brave Blossoms fight back.
Their tactics are more than known since their exploit against the South Africans in 2015 then their first participation in a quarter-final of a World Cup at home four years later: to get their hands on the ball and attack, attack and attack again.
And faced with unpublished Blues, the Japanese method hurt in a first period where the XV of France was tossed around, with in particular a try from the overpowering Tatafu (14th).
The French stuck out their tongues, and did not always do everything necessary to help themselves either, like this attack ended with a touchdown pass from Melvyn Jaminet (37th).
The Blues unleashed after the break
But the new back of Stade Toulouse had the merit of leaving the French tied at the break (13-13) before his new partner Matthis Lebel scored his first try in the tricolor jersey after a good inspiration from his opener Matthieu Jalibert (45th).
The beginning of the grip of the Blues on this match.
Asphyxiated, the Japanese saw a try denied to Maxime Lucu (49th) for a fault in a ruck, a movement driven by the push of Bordeaux's Yoram Moefana and concluded by - again - the legs of Damian Penaud (58th) and a try from the same Moefana after a clever kick over (61st).
And as the forwards wanted to get started after being forced to ride in all directions in the heat, hooker Pierre Bourgarit took charge of going to flatten after a maul on a touch (68th).
Something to delight his supporters who had not had the courage to wake up too early this Saturday and who finished their breakfast in front of an anecdotal second try in stoppage time, and especially to finish with a smile before the second test in a week in Tokyo.
The French will have the opportunity to equal a historic record from the 1930s in the event of a tenth victory in a row.
And to end a historic season in style.
JAPAN-FRANCE: 23-42
Half time: 13-13
Japan:
attempts by Tatafu (14th), Fifita (80th+2);
penalties from Lee (6th, 24th, 55th);
Lee transforms (14th, 80th+2)
France:
trials by Penaud (3rd, 58th), Lebel (45th), Moefana (62nd), Bourgarit (68th);
transformations of Jaminet (3rd, 45th, 58th);
Jaminet penalties (19th, 29th, 52nd, 68th)
