Gaël Fickou (30 years old, 91 caps) should however return to his starting role to face the All Blacks on Saturday evening in Saint-Denis, speaking just before the start of this autumn tour about the end of his career which is looming, dissecting international Rugby, spoke of the Haka, the Springboks and even the third half, a custom recently the victim of a merciless witch hunt, in our latitudes…
Japan is one of the opponents of the XV of France in this autumn tourne. Could you have been interested in freelancing in Asia in the Japanese championship, as your former teammate Yoann Maestri recently did?
No ! I would happily go on vacation to Japan, but I don't think the Japanese championship is for me.
For what ?
Because my goal is to play for the national team and compete in as many major competitions as possible. Once I can no longer play for the French team and perform well for my club, I will stop rugby.
Not long ago, you said you wanted to end your career in 2027, that is to say after the Australian World Cup. For what ?
You can never be 100% sure… But in 2027, at 33 years old and with fifteen seasons of professional rugby behind me, I believe I will have served my time. […] When you no longer have big goals in front of you, when you can no longer go for World Cups and titles with your club, it's better to stop.
Is professional rugby sometimes tiring?
I am privileged and no one will ever make me say otherwise. But there are also, in our lives, a lot of constraints that people don't necessarily see: the training routine, the incessant travel, the weekends taken… And then, above all, there is mental wear and tear: this title, I think I am one of the players who has had the most success in the last ten years.
Indeed…
I have very rarely been injured in my career. I spoke about it recently with Charles Ollivon: between the championship, the Champions Cup and international tests, only long-term injuries today offer us periods of physical and mental recovery. Me, since I've always been chained, I've never had this kind of long break. But I'm not going to complain: most of the time, we have a crazy life; we experience incredible things.
What kind of shape are you in currently? You made eight starts with Racing 92 before joining Marcoussis to play the autumn tour…
I am in good shape, without lacking humility. I think I will have a very good start to the season and perform well: the data shows it. After a slow period, I have now regained my physical and mental abilities.
Had you lost these qualities?
No, but as for all my teammates, the post-World Cup was difficult: I was in poor shape, we talked about it a lot and there is no problem with that. But after a few difficult matches in the league, I think I had a good 2024 6 Nations Tournament; I had, over the course of my encounters, rediscovered desire and madness.
In plain language?
Before bouncing back, we first had to mourn the World Cup. It's life and we had to accept it, this failure in the quarter-finals. From now on, we are all moving forward.
The second test of this autumnal break, against New Zealand, is the highlight of this tour. How do you approach it?
Despite the few criticisms that fell on them after the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks retain enormous potential, have a great coach (Scott Robertson, N.D.L.R.) and a gaming culture of their own. New Zealand is less flamboyant than four or five years ago but that doesn't mean that the All Blacks won't be boosted as they arrive in Paris.
How do the All Blacks remain so strong?
They are all very technical. But today, in France, we have players who are just as technical as them. So it will be a good match: between them and us, it's 50-50.
What do you do during the Haka?
This fall will be the eighth time I face New Zealand. At first, this pre-match impressed me a lot. Now I look at the Haka with respect and wait for it to happen, that's all…
The last France – New Zealand, opening the World Cup, was quite wonderful. What do you have left?
I'll surprise you but it's one of the World Cup matches that I remember the least… I just remember the crazy atmosphere at the Stade de France and the tests that I saw later, on the networks social… However, I am proud to be able to say today that I beat the All Blacks twice (in 2021 then 2023, Editor’s note). Few people can say that, I think. I am lucky to be part of this French generation capable of beating them.
Some technicians say that the coming international cycle will mark the end of dispossession, that nations will regain control of the ball… Do you agree with this observation?
No. South Africa, which has just won the Rugby Championship, is one of the most successful teams in the world. The Springboks have not changed and are still winning.
We follow you…
There are plenty of technicians… But there are fewer technicians who really look at the stats and what is happening on the field. Today, the teams that win are not always the ones that play the most.
The summer experienced by the XV of France was quite appalling: there was the Jaminet affair, then the Jegou-Auradou scandal… How did you experience it?
I wasn't present in Argentina… It just bothers me for these two teammates (Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou) who I don't necessarily know, if at all. […] In short, I don't have everything under control. It's their story, not mine or that of French rugby.
Do you think that the image of rugby has been tarnished by this tour to Argentina?
Yes, it's likely, but these incidents took place off the field. Rugby is a team sport that embodies great values and symbolizes living together: the upcoming matches will highlight everything that our sport represents.
From then on?
For me, everything that happened in Argentina are facts. Some people made mistakes and paid for it. We must now move forward.
Behind these affairs, there was a sort of demonization of the third halves…
The third half has always existed and except for rare exceptions, it has always gone well. It is also part of our sport, of our culture. I have the impression that today we make it a taboo whereas since the dawn of time, it has just been a beautiful moment of celebration, sharing and exchanges…
We tend to agree…
There were excesses but is that a reason to stop everything? Should we delete everything because one guy made a mistake? When there are players who slip up, they are punished and then get help: period. […] The third half is part of us. That it is better supervised, I can understand that. But that we could consider removing it, I find it a shame. […] Ever since I was little, I've heard rugby players say that they are bon vivants, cool guys, friendly party people. We're not going to throw everything in the trash because there were these stories. Guys who can't control themselves will just stay home from now on.
