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Two-try Rougerie thwarts Japanese
TOWNSVILLE, Australia -- Aurelien Rougerie scored two of France's six tries and Frederic Michalak collected 26 points in a 51-29 World Cup victory over Japan in Townsville. But the Japanese had been just one point behind the French shortly after half time and gave them a big fright in the Group B game. Japanese winger Toru Kurihara landed every kick for a 19-point haul. With the majority of the fans at the Dairy Farmers Stadium roaring them on, the Japanese took the lead when Toru Kurihara kicked a third minute penalty. But the French went ahead virtually from the restart with Christian Labit breaking through the line and Fabien Galthie feeding Michalak to dart through a huge gap for his third try in French colors. Three minutes later the French were 14-3 ahead when Rougerie broke through and shrugged off a tackle before going under the posts. Michalak, who had scored 26 points going into the match, kicked the conversion. Kurihara replied with a penalty but then Michalak kicked two for the French to give the Europeans a 14 point lead. But the Japanese refused to wilt and instead went on the attack to be rewarded by a try from George Konia, their 34-year-old New Zealand-born center playing his fourth game for the Cherry Blossoms. The Japanese moved the ball swiftly from a scrum on the right through fly half Andrew Miller and Hideki Namba to the Konia who was already moving at speed and he cut through to cross the line. Kurihara converted and the French lead was cut to seven points. It was down to four by the half-time whistle when the French conceded a penalty close to their own line and Kurihara kicked his third penalty. Kurihara's fourth kick six minutes into the second half cut the French lead to one. But the French woke from their mid-match slumber to score a third try within two minutes with Fabien Pelous collecting from a maul to run five meters for the score. Michalak converted and the French were eight points ahead again. The French were back in charge of the game and winger Christophe Dominici charged into the line to take the ball at full speed after a scrum out left to race through for the bonus point try. Michalak converted and the lead was back to 15 points. Michalak and Kurihara each kicked penalties before Rougerie took a pass from fellow winger Dominici and then raced through four tacklers on a powerful run to the line for his second try. Michalak increased the lead to 44-22. Japanese winger Daisuke Ohata went over for his 41st international score from a pass by Kurihara and the other winger kicked his seventh successful kick from seven attempts to make it 44-29. Jean-Jacques Crenca powered over the Japanese line for a sixth French try and Michalak converted. Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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