Lausanne, Switzerland, September 12, 2017 – Both Japan and France lost their first matches at the 2017 FIVB Men's World Grand Champions Cup in Japan and will be looking for their first victory as they meet on Wednesday in Nagoya. This will be their first ever encounter in the history of the Grand Champions Cup.
Head-to-Head
• Hosts Japan and debutants France will meet for the first time at the World Grand Champions Cup.
• France have won nine of their last 10 matches against Japan at world level, with the 0-3 Olympic qualification defeat in these nations' most recent meeting on June 5, 2016 as the only exception.
• France last recorded a competitive victory over Japan on June 27, 2015, when they won in five sets at the 2015 World League.
Japan
• Japan became the first team to lose eight consecutive matches at the World Grand Champions Cup.
• They have not won a set in their last five matches.
• Japan's 0-3 loss to USA was their first competitive defeat after five wins in a row at the 2017 Asian Championship.
• They have not suffered two defeats in a row in straight sets in competitive matches in 2017.
France
• France lost their first match at the World Grand Champions Cup - 0-3 against defending champions Brazil.
• The last team that lost its first two matches on its debut was Poland in 2009.
• France have not lost three competitive matches in a row since losing the first four in the 2013 World League.
• That was also the last time they lost the first two matches of a major tournament.