Gaël Fickou (born 26 March 1994) is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for Top 14 club Racing 92 and the France national team.
.jpg) Fickou representing France during the Six Nations Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 26 March 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | La Seyne-sur-Mer, France | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 100 kg (220 lb; 15 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
editFickou made his Heineken Cup debut on 14 October 2012, scoring the only try of the game in a win against Leicester Tigers. His lithe movement, balance and pace for his size has seen him compared to English rugby legend Jeremy Guscott.[citation needed]
According to Toulouse and France teammate, Maxime Médard, Fickou "is one of the 10 best centres in the world and soon he will be number one. He reminds me of Sonny Bill Williams: tall, athletic, technical, with a good hand-off and a feel for the game. He has everything."[1]
After spending six seasons with Toulouse, he signed with Stade Français for the start of the 2018–19 season.[2]
On 22 March 2021, Fickou would leave Stade Français to join with Top 14 rivals Racing 92 ahead of the 2021–22 season.[3]
International career
editHe made his French international debut at the age of 18 against Scotland on 16 March 2013 in the RBS 6 Nations.[4]
Fickou scored his first try for France against England during the 2014 Six Nations.
Career statistics
editList of international tries
edit| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 February 2014 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France |  England
|
24–24 | 26–24 | 2014 Six Nations |
| 2 | 23 September 2015 | Olympic Stadium, London, England |  Romania
|
36–11 | 38–11 | 2015 Rugby World Cup |
| 3 | 13 March 2016 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland |  Scotland
|
18–10 | 29–18 | 2016 Six Nations |
| 4 | 12 November 2016 | Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse, France |  Samoa
|
43–8 | 52–8 | 2016 November test series |
| 5 | 12 February 2017 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | Scotland
|
11–5 | 22–16 | 2017 Six Nations |
| 6 | 20 March 2017 | Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy |  Italy
|
8–11 | 18–40 | |
| 7 | 17 March 2018 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Wales
|
11–8 | 14–13 | 2018 Six Nations |
| 8 | 21 September 2019 | Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu, Japan |  Argentina
|
5–3 | 23–21 | 2019 Rugby World Cup |
| 9 | 2 October 2019 | Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka, Japan |  United States
|
17–9 | 33–9 | |
| 10 | 6 February 2021 | Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy | Italy
|
3–15 | 10–50 | 2021 Six Nations |
| 11 | 26 February 2022 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland | Scotland
|
10–17 | 17–36 | 2022 Six Nations |
| 12 | 19 March 2022 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | England
|
8–0 | 25–13 | |
| 13 | 26 February 2023 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | Scotland
|
30–21 | 32–21 | 2023 Six Nations |
| 14 | 18 March 2023 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | Wales
|
32–7 | 41–28 | |
| 15 | 10 February 2024 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland | Scotland
|
13–8 | 16–20 | 2024 Six Nations |
| 16 | 10 March 2024 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | Wales
|
10–11 | 24–45 | |
| 17 | 16 March 2024 | Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon, France | England
|
28–24 | 33–31 |
Honours
edit- France
- 1× Six Nations Championship: 2022
- 1× Grand Slam: 2022
Personal life
editBorn in France, Fickou is one of six children. His dad is originally from Casamance in Senegal and his mother is a French of Pied-Noir descent.[5][6]
References
edit- ^ Six Nations 2014: France eagerly await another burst of speed from zero-to-hero Gaël Fickou, by Hugh Godwin, The Independent, dated 9 February 2014.
- ^ France centre Gael Fickou joins Stade Francais, uncredited author, "Sky Sports", dated 29 May 2018.
- ^ "Confirmed: France star Gael Fickou is leaving Stade Francais to join Top 14 rivals". Rugby Pass. 22 March 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ Kitson, Robert (16 October 2012). "Toulouse's Gaël Fickou looks ready to be rugby's next global superstar". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- ^ "Fickou : « Je sais que j'ai de la chance »" (in French). FFR. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ Tournoux, Gilles (1 February 2020). "France-Angleterre : «Je n'aurais jamais pensé avoir cette vie-là», confie Gaël Fickou" [France v England: 'I never thought I would have this life', Gaël Fickou confides]. Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 13 November 2022.
External links
edit- Gaël Fickou at ESPNscrum
- Gaël Fickou at ItsRugby.co.uk
- France profile at FFR
- ERC profile
