France vs Japan Highlights Week 1 Women s VNL 2026

It is Team Japan in the red jerseys serving to Team France in the blue and we are underway in Quebec City. First game of the tournament for both of these teams. Rob Snook alongside Simon Golding with Matt Prosser. Ishikawa is going to send it over on the free ball. Bernard Saloos goes with the set. There's the rookie. She got blocked. They'll recycle it. Come right back to Radhiri. Can't score her first point. What a dig by Fukudomi. Then the blocking comes through. Five in this opening set. A pretty good crowd on hand in Quebec City. And they're not going to track this one down, France. Too much power from the right side. Again, out of system. They get it up to NJ. Now on the right side, Wada just tools it off the block. Who I missed. Simon, so anytime you have her you can grab it. Here's a slide play. Yeah, it's a double substitution and it's number 19. The youngster. Just as Japan scores on the slide play. But never mind that. That was pretty noisy block. Bernard Saloos is going to get it across to Kazut. Cross court. What a dig. Fukudomi. And it is point France. I don't know if that one ever came over. 17-12 in this set. And here they are leading at 22-21. Back row attack. Ishikawa brings the heat. Now the pendulum swings just a little bit back in Japan. Now has them with set point. Kazut brings it to Fukudomi who handles it well. Here's Ishikawa. Off hands. A chance for France to finish the set. Rathahiri. No. Ishikawa out of system. Japan dug by Kazut. They come again. Rathahiri. And she has done it for France. They win the opening set coming from behind to beat Japan 25-23. Leads all scorers in the set with her seventh point right here. And when I say right here, I mean right here, Simon. Yeah. Nervous look from the setter. But Rathahiri has done a fine job in this opening set. Looks like she's been out on the court for France for years. France in blue serving Japan in red. France winning the opening set. Here comes Japan. Wada and ripping it from the right side. Beautiful clean contacts. One of the things that stays with you when you come to one of these this year. And a nice side out. That's what France wanted over the course of this summit. As volleyball continues to change and adapt. That was a bizarre set from Seki. Rathahiri. Nice pick up by Fukudomi. Ishikawa takes a look before she attacks. Doesn't get much on it. Now Wada comes. Picked up by NJ. Back row attack. Yes. Captain of Team France gets them tied up. How good are these teams at just maneuvering into a new position? I can't help you every time. No, you're right, Rob. The set essentially is gone. Just come back and start again next time out. Rotar, besides she can't swing on that, just sets it over and then Ishikawa rips it down the line. Does seem like it's out of reach. Rathahiri comes back in for France. Seki would like that set back if she could. Ishikawa kept alive by France. Pushed over by the libero. They come again, this time Seto. Doug by Shamo. Rathahiri picked up by Fukudomi. Ishikawa, Doug by Rathahiri. They finally decide who's going to take it. Free ball chance Japan to get set point. Boom. Got it done. Well, that was brilliant from France to extend the rally. By Japan. Another chance for France to attack though. And is there a touch? No touch on the swing from Shamo. And no challenge and the set is done 25-12. It's a romp for Japan. Here we go. Set number three, Japan serving in red, France receiving in blue. We're all deadlocked at one set apiece and the Japanese blocking rises to the challenge. Araki has stepped it up big time and we're looking for a lot of clues in the early stages. So Araki has doffed the glasses, picking them off. That means she's serving and she's going to be serving again. No, it's the ball that touches the net. Really disciplined play by Wada. Here's Kazut. Kazut just ripping it. Two great shots from her and two wonderful sets from Danaz Salos. Look at the pace at that ball. Once again, setter taken out, blocker thrown in, so they're going to play the rally without a setter France. Ball to no avail. 23-21, Japan trying to close out this third set. Here's Kazut. Japan's got a chance for set point. They come back, roll, and make no mistake, Seto. Instant technology allowing the players to see what's going on out there. Still set point, Japan, and they make no mistake with their captain Ishikawa. And now Danaz Salos for France puts the ball in play. Japan on the left side of your screen, and there's a rip from their leading scorer last year, Seto, who's now the leading scorer of the match. Ishikawa serves, tips off the net. That makes it tricky sometimes, but France does a nice job with it. And then Sidovets through the middle. He's so clever. I'm sure the coach has had a function of that. Started 11 of the 12 matches for France last year. There's the setter, Dunn. First time she's tried it in the match, Seki, and it works to perfection. Cheeky and very, very well disguised. Up from the setter, so she's out. Kazut does the setting for Ratahiri. Japan covers brilliantly. Seki's set, taken by Wada, couldn't finish. Ratahiri, dug. Ishikawa, kept alive by Sidovets. And that's a miss from Dupuy. Let's have a look here. Oh, just a little nudge. Rotar and Chollet into the game for France. Here's Rotar, and the veteran. It's a good swing, but it's dug. Geelong with a dynamite dig. Rotar, can she catch up to this? Fukudomi sets. And is there a touch? No, says the referee. There used to be a sort of coach's box, but I don't know if you see that anymore. Maybe because they weren't staying in it anyway. Make sure she doesn't go over. That's always the temptation. Here's Ishikawa, who has been the model of consistency. Rotar, dug. Ishikawa there. Can she swing? No, Seto will. And a pinball's around and drops on the French side. That is a nasty hit from Seto. I mean, nasty in the sense that it's a great hit. And she goes straight through to check on her opponent. Passing an issue here for France again, but they're going to stave it off for at least one point. Amelie Rotar. Another who plays at Cannes with Ratahiri, but that's going to do it. That is going to do it for Team Japan. That serve is out. And after losing the opening set, Japan and head coach Sverd Akhlaas storms back to win the match in four in impressive fashion.