GAËL FICKOU
From t een sensation t o Test regular, t he France back has f ound his groove
FEW OF rugby’s aficionados will forget the first time they saw Gaël Fickou. It was October 2012, a pool match in the Heineken Cup, when the 18-year-old centre dashed half the length of the field to score a try as Toulouse beat Leicester 23-9.
The try capped a good match for Fickou but it wasn’t a display that warranted the OTT reaction in much of the media. Rugby’s nextglobalsuperstar, declared one British paper, piling pressure on the teen’s shoulders that Guy Novès tried to brush off. Asked by a French journalist if Fickou had the potential to be a world-class player, the Toulouse coach said: “I don’t know, we’ll see.”
Within six months Fickou had his first cap, off the bench against Scotland. But the next few years were frustratingly stop-start, with most of his Test appearances coming as a replacement. There was the odd high – the last-gasp winning try against England in 2014 – but these were matched by the lows, including a knee injury in 2015 that meant he played only a bit-part in that year’s World Cup.
The upshot was the decision to switch clubs in the summer of 2018. Aurevoir Toulouse, bonjour Stade Français, and the result has been spectacular. Fickou has been a regular in the French back-line since the 2019 Six Nations and is thriving under Fabien Galthié.
“He’s demanding,” says Fickou of Galthié. “But we have a good relationship; we talk regularly and he’s already brought a greater precision to my game. He knows his rugby and you can see how our attacking game has improved.”
Fickou also speaks highly of team manager Raphaël Ibañez, a former team-mate of Galthié’s. “He’s a good complement to Fabien. The two get on well and Raphaël provides the link between the players and staff.”
Galthié appreciates Fickou’s versatility and it shows the faith he has in the 26-year-old that he moved him from the centre to the wing earlier this year for the Six Nations matches against Wales and Scotland. When asked for his positional preference, Fickou says: “I prefer 12. You’re in the heart of things from the start and I also like the tackling and the contact of playing centre.”
LesBleus will have the chance to avenge their Six Nations defeat by Scotland when they meet at Murrayfield again in the Autumn Nations Cup, a tournament in which they also face Italy and Fiji.
“Scotland are one of the most dangerous teams in Europe,” says Fickou. “They’ve got a very talented squad, with a great work ethic, and it’s always difficult playing against Scotland. It’s hard to put my finger on it but they just make life difficult for France.
“I was in the French team that lost to Fiji in Paris two years ago so I know all about them. They have so much talent. In the past they lacked structure but that’s an area of their game that’s got a lot better in recent seasons and, with the great players they have, Fiji are a real threat.”
In terms of international experience, Fickou is one of the ‘old men’ of the French squad, even if he is still only 26. With more than 50 caps to his name, he’s in a position to offer advice to the new generation coming through, but he explains he does so only on the pitch and not off it. “The young players (in the squad) have come through a system that has prepared them physically and mentally for Test rugby, so there’s not much advice I can give them.”
Fickou probably could have benefited from more protection when he burst onto the scene. Any teenager would have struggled to cope with the attention that came his way but it clearly made Fickou stronger in the long term.
“If I compare myself now to a few years ago, what’s improved most is my defence and also my leadership. I’m not an aggressive character but as you grow up you gain in confidence and feel more able to express your opinion.”
This was one of the main reasons for leaving Toulouse. “It was a very hard decision. I grew up at Toulouse, it’s where I won my first cap, and I’ll always have a deep affection and respect for the club. But I’d reached a point where I felt I needed a new challenge; I’ve found that at Stade Français. I haven’t won anything yet with the club but they’ve allowed me to grow further as a player and assume more responsibility.”
The return as coach of Gonzalo Quesada is another plus and Fickou has already learnt much from the Argentine since his arrival in the summer. “Gonzalo has the human touch. He’s close to the players and there’s a good spirit building in the club.”
Fickou also likes the anonymity of the French capital and the fact he can walk the streets largely unknown. He may not have become a ‘global superstar’, but Fickou is content with the path his career has taken in the eight years since he skinned the Tigers.