France captain Maxime Lucu believes the biggest opponent his side may face against Japan on Saturday isn’t wearing a jersey.
The scrumhalf says the searing heat and humidity in Tokyo have made training a gruelling experience this week, with sweat-soaked balls and fading concentration forcing Les Bleus to adapt ahead of their Nations Championship clash.
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Temperatures of around 30°C are forecast at Tokyo’s National Stadium, with high humidity and the possibility of rain adding another layer of difficulty.
“Even though Monday was just strength circuits and cycling, we could see the sweat level was through the roof,” Lucu said.
“The body is working hard and it affects your clarity when you’re out on the field.”
The France skipper revealed the conditions caused plenty of frustration during training, with handling errors becoming a recurring problem.
“We saw it again in Tuesday’s training in the intense heat, with a lot of dropped balls that were wet from sweat and humidity, so we need to be careful about that.”
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Lucu admitted tempers flared as mistakes mounted, but said the squad has gradually adjusted.
“There was a lot of frustration, a lot of guys getting worked up because of mistakes. On Wednesday it was much better, and today even better again.
“It’s a personal effort everyone has to make, because right now we’ll be lacking clarity due to sweating and fluid loss at a time when we’re under pressure.”
France head into the match with one win from their opening two Nations Championship fixtures, having edged past the Wallabies 42-26 in Brisbane after a dramatic 34-32 defeat to New Zealand in Christchurch.
Japan also have one victory from two outings after beating Italy before going down 36-20 to Ireland.
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Lucu expects another fierce challenge from Eddie Jones’ side and says France will need more than just tactical execution to get the job done.
“It’s even more about keeping a cool head at the start of the match,” he said.
“We know we’ll have plans to counter this Japan team, who will bring a lot of physical battles, a lot of aggression.”
– AFP
Photo: Toru Hanai/Getty Images
The post Lucu wary of brutal Tokyo heat appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
France captain Maxime Lucu believes the biggest opponent his side may face against Japan on Saturday isn’t wearing a jersey.
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