While his position in selection has been weakened over the past season, the experienced Gaël Fickou, a natural captain of the XV of France this summer, can take advantage of the New Zealand journey to relaunch its end of international career.
When evoking the capital of the tour a fortnight ago, and even before having formalized the appointment of Gaël Fickou, Fabien Galkié had thus spoken of the presence of the three-quarter center of Racing 92: “There are experienced players in this team, like Gaël for example. Wished he was there.” And it is a fact to take largely into account, when many other executives have reported their desire to take advantage of a break in July. Fickou, a boy at the longest lived in blue with his 94 capes, was determined to take the direction of New Zealand. “A few weeks ago, the staff contacted me to ask me if I was hotsays the interested party. I had just crossed a fairly complicated season with Racing and I could not refuse a selection with the French team. I have never done it and will never do it. “ Even less after an exercise which was also a bit frustrating, personally, internationally.
If he had holder in the last two games of the November tour against New Zealand and Argentina, he had started the fall episode on the bench against Japan. Nothing serious then, the staff having announced that he had just chosen to blow him in a logic of rotation, but not quite harmless. Because Fickou has been a Basic Man from Galthié since taking office in 2020, still present in his starting XV. An untouchable so far, which has been less so for a year … And if a fracture to a thumb has deprived him of the start of the last 6 nations tournament, he found his place in the center of the tricolor attack only after the concussion of Pierre-Louis Barassi, for the last meeting against Scotland.
The opposite examples of Serin and Jelonch
Clearly, when tackling this summer tour, Fickou, if he brings undeniable guarantees by his knowledge of the very high level or his defense insurance, does not seem to have an unlimited sports credit. He is even in direct competition with the new wave at his post, embodied by Emilien Gailleton, Pierre-Louis Barassi and Nicolas Depoortere. It will form the pair of centers with the first Saturday and the other two arrived on Wednesday morning, which will apply for the last two tests. Emulation with real bullets for Fickou which, at 31, remains an extraordinary competitor. Which can see on this New Zealand journey a capital occasion to give a boost to its end of career with the Blues and to make an impression for the great objective of 2027. All the more with the responsibilities that are its.
A guide role he already taken on Twickenham less than two weeks ago. After the victory in England, he said: “The guys believed me and followed me.” It is necessary to survive the promised hell in the country of the Kiwis. Stay for Fickou to know what gift this capital will look like. He was poisoned last year in Argentina for Baptiste Serin, who was not recalled this summer. But he had been revealing for Anthony Jelonch in 2021, in Australia…
