Saturday evening, Emilien Gailleton (21 years old, 3 caps) will start in the center of the French attack. The opportunity for us to discover an endearing and talented kid. The floor is yours, Emilien…
You go probably celebrate your fourth selection for the French team on Saturday evening but the general public ultimately knows very little about you. Where did you grow up?
I was born in London, in a suburb called Croydon where the French XV spent a few weeks during the 2015 World Cup. My mother is English and my father French; he is originally from Lyon. The two met across the Channel, at the time when Dad was working in a pizzeria while Mom was finishing her physiotherapy studies there.
And after that, then?
At the age of 3, I arrived with them in the Lot, half an hour from Cahors and in a very small village of 160 inhabitants called Escamps. There are more sheep than people there… So I took my first license in Cahors. I was 5 years old.
It's very young…
Yes. But for as long as I can remember, I have always loved rugby. At 7 or 8 years old, I was already taking my bike to do around ten kilometers and train at the nearest stadium, in Lalbenque: a real potato field, the thing! […] I think I was really hyperactive, actually. I needed a sport that channeled me.
Why did your parents choose the Lot when they decided to leave England, exactly?
They found that the white stone of the Causse had no equivalent. They found it beautiful and probably wanted the house housing their family to be built with this material.
You speak English ?
(He immediately responds in English) “I speak English fluently, yes!” (laughs) At home, I still speak English with my mother but I think I master French a little better, all the same…
We're not going to tell you the history of the Franco-English rivalry, but have you often been fooled, in your life, about your British origins?
When I was little, yes. However, I have always supported France… even if I could see that my mother often tried to convert me. (laughs) At home, when we watched the Tournament matches, the house was divided in two…
It's rather original.
What always made me laugh, on the other hand, was making my friends believe that I supported the XV de la Rose: it pissed them off because at the time, the English selection regularly beat the XV from France. I found it funny…
Did you study?
I'm still in the middle of it, to tell you the truth. There, I am finishing a Master's degree in Staps (Sciences and techniques of physical and sporting activities, Editor's note), at the University of Pau.
And what was your childhood dream, then? Firefighter ? Policeman? Anything else?
No, I knew very quickly that I wanted to become a professional rugby player. […] We didn't have Canal + at home and so I didn't watch the Top 14 matches. On the other hand, I was fascinated by the 6 Nations Tournament and the World Cups: I still remember Wesley's tests in mind Fofana, the actions of Gaël Fickou… I dreamed of one day being able to do the same things as them.
So you fooled Gaël Fickou before becoming his teammate at Marcoussis, ten years later…
It’s a bit like that, yes! When I took my first steps in the France group, two years ago, it was strange to meet him there. I was quite impressed, I think. But little by little, I got used to the idea…
For two years you have been going back and forth regularly between your club in the Pau Section and the XV of France without being indisputable of the French selection. Was it sometimes difficult to live with?
At the beginning, going back and forth between Pau and Marcoussis just to train with the France group delighted me; I told myself that I was very lucky to have an experience like that. These training sessions brought me a lot.
“So I try to play as much as possible in free spaces”
And then?
It lasted quite a while and last season, these trips took a bit of a toll on me, physically and mentally. The first three days of the week, I trained with the French XV then met my teammates from the Pau Section at the weekend: already, I took the place of a guy who had worked all week with the club and then, I didn't necessarily have the right automatisms with the rest of the team.
We follow you…
Clearly, it was sometimes complicated but these trips between Marcoussis and Pau also allowed me to blend more quickly into the French system. Now I feel ready.
What can you bring to this France team?
My primary qualities are movement and speed. So I try to play as much as possible in the free spaces. I'm also lucky to be only 21 and still very fresh, physically. On certain technical or tactical aspects, however, I still have a lot of work to accomplish…
You are athletic, fast but not very massive. Do you sometimes suffer in duels?
(He sighs) You just have to know what player you are, in fact… Me, I have always been much lighter than the others but this weight deficit has also helped me to be a little faster, to move more quickly and longer than the opponent, on a field. I want to play on that.
All right.
Physically, in a one-on-one position, I often lose the arm wrestling but on the other hand, I tell myself that if I manage to place myself in space earlier than my direct opponent, he might have struggling to catch up.
Do you think you can one day establish yourself in the midfield of this France team?
When I was a kid and I watched the French team on TV, I too wanted to play in front of a whole nation, to have a people pushing behind me… But I know that I will have to work hard to hold on to this dream: competition is fierce for the position and each season we see many young people arriving. There is Paul Costes, Léon Darricarrère, Nicolas Depoortère and so many others…
Are you looking forward to Saturday night’s match?
No, no more than that.
For what ?
Training with Antoine Dupont, Thomas Ramos or Gaël Fickou is very reassuring! They all have a lot of experience and play rugby with a speed that often allows us to be one step ahead of the opponents. With them, I move around every day in a certain comfort and that reassures me.
What opinion do you have of Japan, the French team's next opponent?
It's a very playful team, which moves the ball a lot and strings together particularly long sequences. She is also very disciplined. On Saturday evening, we will have to be very wary and not take the easy route.
O’Driscoll, Smith, Sella…
The selection's living environment has changed a lot since the summer tour in Argentina. In Marcoussis, the living conditions of the France group are apparently much stricter than they were before. Is this difficult to bear?
Honestly, no. And then, we haven't had anything to celebrate yet. (laughs) But I think it's a good initiative on the part of Jean-Marc Lhermet (the elected official in charge of the high level, Editor's note) and Raphaël Ibanez (the manager of the Blues, Editor's note). They set a framework and now we know where we are going.
Do you have any rituals before an important match?
Yes and no. I listen to rock when I feel like I need to wake up: Metallica, Red Hot Chilly Peppers… It gives me confidence. It makes me want to go to war! (laughs)
Are you superstitious?
Yes and no. I just have a pair of lucky pairs of underwear…
What is he like?
Yellow in color and drawn on it, in red, are Béarnaise cows. I like the symbol: it reminds me of the Béarn flag.
For you, who is the ultimate three-quarter center?
There are several… Brian O'Driscoll (the former Irish captain, Editor's note) has already made a big impression on me: this player had incredible talent, was fanciful and very spectacular. I also really liked Conrad Smith (former All Black, Editor's note), who had an individual technique that I considered exceptional. I often met him in Pau, we talked about lots of things. I finally want to talk about Philippe Sella because I went to Agen for a few seasons, he always gave me good advice and he remains a legend of the position in France…
Who do you talk about rugby with most often at home?
My girlfriend (Clémentine, Editor’s note), probably. She plays third row at Blagnac. She is my age and has already played in three French championship finals. She's truly passionate, too: but when it's just the two of us, we try to channel ourselves and talk about something else… Otherwise…
