Test Match No. 40: British and French Tour 1973, game 11

日本語 Français Photo Journal
27 October 1973 in Bordeaux
●Japan 18-30 France○
Japan fought very well against France
 
Data:
27/10/73
Japan 18 France 30
Bordeaux, France Half-time: 7-10
Referee: M. Joseph (Wales)
Touch Judges: Laceuille (France), Bonnett (France)
Crowd: 25,000
 
JAPAN: 15 Nobuyuki Ueyama, 14 Tadayuki Ito, 13 Fumiharu Shimazaki, 12 Akira Yokoi (capt), 11 Yoshihiro Sakata, 10 Masakatsu Iguchi, 9 Ryozo Imazato, 8 Hideo Akama, 7 Junji Yoshida, 6 Yoshiaki Izawa, 5 Toshio Terai, 4 Hiroshi Ogasawara, 3 Masaaki Simosono, 2 Kazumi Ohigashi, 1 Susumu 'Asura' Hara
Reserves: 16 Mitsuo Atokawa, 17 Koichi Shibata, 18 Yoshihiro Murata, 19 Hiroaki Shukuzawa, 20 Tadamasa Kamohara, 21 Yoichi Sugiyzma.
Tries: Ohigashi, Shimazaki, Sakata; Penalty Goals: Ueyama, Shimazaki.
 
FRANCE: 15 Jean Michel Aguirre, 14 Noёl Séguier, 13 Joseph Maso, 12 Gilles Delaigue, 11 Roland Bertranne, 10 Henri Cabrol, 9 Max Barrau (capt), 8 Olivier Saisset, 7 Victor Boffelli, 6 Elie Cester, 5 Michel Sappa, 4 Jean-Claude Skréla, 3 Jean Iraçabal, 2 René Bénésis, 1 Michel Rougerie.
Reserves: 16 Jean-Pierre Ugartemendia, 17 ----------, 18 Jean-Pierre Rives, 19 Jacques Fouroux, 20 Joёl Pecune, 21 Michel Droitecourt.
Tries: Delaigue, Barrau, Bertranne, Saisset, Skréla, Aguirre; Conversions: Cabrol (3).
 
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 20min-pen Japan, Ueyama-3-0, 23min-try France, Delaigue; conv. Cabrol (missed)-3-4, 38min-try Japan, Ohigashi; conv. Ueyama (missed)-7-4, 39min-try France, Barrau; conv. Cabrol-7-10, Half-time, 42min-try France, Bertranne; conv. Cabrol-7-16, 44min-pen Japan, Ueyama (missed), 45min-pen Japan, Ueyama (missed), 47min-try Japan, Shmazaki; conv. Ueyama (missed)-11-16, 50min-try Japan, Sakata; conv. Ueyama (missed)-15-16, 55min-try France, Saisset; conv. Cabrol-15-22, 70min-try France, Skréla; conv. Cabrol (missed)-15-26, 77min-try France, Aguirre; conv. Cabrol (missed)-15-30, 79min-pen Japan, Shimazaki-18-30.
 


Japan surprised French fans familiar with French “Champagne rugby,” the most speedy of the five nations. Japan received high acclaim for its “running rugby”. In the first half, Japan's Ueyama kicked a penalty. France scored a try in the 22nd minute. Ohigashi scored a try from a lineout in the 36th minute, 7-4. Soon afterwards, France scored a try from a scrum in front of the goal (and a conversion) to turn around the game again, 7-10. This adrenalized Japan. Fullback joined in and Sakata scored a try. Shimazaki dribbled the ball and scored a try (15-16) to wow 50,000 spectators. However, Japan conceded three tries to France after that, and was defeated 18-30 despite Shimazaki's penalty.
This was the most impressive test match in this tour. Although there are many points to be reflected on, the way Japan played against France seemed to have made stronger impression on France than on Japan.