Lausanne, Switzerland, May 25, 2018 - France host Japan in Rouen Saturday to wrap up day 2 of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and both want to double their wins after opening the competition on Friday victoriously against Iran and Australia respectively. In 33 previous encounters France lead the series 28-5.
Head-to-Head
• France and Japan will meet for the 34th time in world level major competitions. France have won 28 of their previous 33 encounters, versus five victories for Japan.
• World level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• Against no other opponents have France won more matches in world level major competitions than versus Japan (28).
• France have won each of the last 10 matches against Japan at world level. Eight of those 10 victories came in straight sets, including their last encounter at the 2017 Grand Champions Cup.
• Japan's last victory over France at world level came on 1 July 2007: 3-1 in the World League.
• In the World Olympic Qualification tournament in Tokyo in 2016, Japan defeated France 3-0 on the final matchday. That victory came after France had already secured their ticket to Rio.
France
• France opened their VNL campaign with a 3-1 victory against Iran, ending a three-match losing run at major world level.
• France have won two of the last three major world level tournaments in which they started with a win, the 2015 and 2017 World League. They finished third in the other one, the 2016 World League.
• France have lost only one of their last 14 major world level fixtures played in front of a home crowd in France, a 3-1 defeat against Japan at the 2016 World League.
• Earvin Ngapeth (18) and Jean Patry (17) led France in terms of scoring against Iran.
• Nicolas Le Goff scored four of France's eight points from stuff blocks versus Iran.
Japan
• Japan ended a six-match losing streak at major world level competitions with a 3-1 win against Australia in their opener at the VNL.
• Japan could win successive matches at major world level for the first time since a four-match winning run at last year's World League. This streak started with a 3-1 win against Australia.
• Japan have won three of their last five five-setters at major world level tournaments. They had won only three of the 20 deciders at major world level prior to this run.
• Five players reached double figures in scoring for Japan against Australia: Haku Ri 'Lee' (18), Masahiro Yanagida (16), Yuji Nishida (15), Tatsuya Fukuzawa (11) and Akihiro Yamauchi (10).
• Lee and Yanagida both scored four points from serves versus Australia.