Gaël Fickou

Gaël Fickou (born 26 March 1994) is a French rugby union player who plays for French club Racing 92. His usual position is in the Centre or Wing.

Gaël Fickou

Fickou in 2016
Birth name	Gaël Fickou
Date of birth	(1994-03-26) 26 March 1994 (age 28)
Place of birth	La Seyne-sur-Mer, France
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight	100 kg (15 st 10 lb; 220 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre / Wing Current team Racing 92 Youth career 2003–2009 2009–2012 US Seynoise Toulon Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2012–2018 2018–2021 2021– Toulouse Stade Français Racing 92 135 32 36 (198) (65) (40) Correct as of 9 October 2022 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2013– France 75 (60) Correct as of 5 February 2023

Club career

Fickou 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

He 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 the England during the 2014 Six Nations.

International tries

International tries

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	2017 Six Nations
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	2019 Rugby World Cup
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	2022 Six Nations

Honours

International

  France

• Six Nations Championship: 2022
• Grand Slam: 2022

Personal life

Born 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

1. 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.
2. France centre Gael Fickou joins Stade Francais, uncredited author, "Sky Sports", dated 29 May 2018.
3. "Confirmed: France star Gael Fickou is leaving Stade Francais to join Top 14 rivals". Rugby Pass. 22 March 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
4. Kitson, Robert (16 October 2012). "Toulouse's Gaël Fickou looks ready to be rugby's next global superstar". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
5. "Fickou : « Je sais que j'ai de la chance »" (in French). FFR. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
6. 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

• France profile at FFR
• Gaël Fickou at ItsRugby.co.uk
• Gaël Fickou at ESPNscrum