Rougerie bursts clear to score (Getty Images).
FRANCE SEE OFF BRAVE JAPANESE
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France had to fight hard to beat Japan 51-29 in Pool B in Townsville on Saturday.
The Japanese had given Scotland a fright on Sunday before finally succumbing to defeat.
And the pattern was repeated at Dairy Farmers Stadium as Bernard Laporte's team struggled early on before finally asserting their superiority in the closing stages.
Japan trailed only 20-19 early in the second half before the French finally put daylight between themselves and their opponents.
Aurelien Rougerie scored two tries for the French while
Fabien Pelous, Jean-Jacques Crenca, Frederic Michalak and Christophe Dominici also crossed for scores.
Michalak added 19 more points with his boot and Gerald Merceron also kicked a conversion.
George Konia and Daisuke Ohata scored tries for Japan and Toru Kurihara kicked five penalties and two conversions.
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