 Fickou representing France during the Six Nations Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 26 March 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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]
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 England during the 2014 Six Nations.
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]
Stade de France is the national stadium of France, located just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. Its seating capacity of 80,698 makes it the largest stadium in France. The stadium is used by the French national football and rugby union teams for international competitions. It is the largest in Europe for athletics events, seating 77,083 in that configuration. During other events, the stadium's running track is mostly hidden under the grandstands.
The France national rugby union team represents the French Rugby Federation in men's international rugby union matches. Colloquially known as Le XV de France, the team traditionally wears blue shirts with a Gallic rooster embroidered on the chest, white shorts and red socks in reference to the French national flag. Les Bleus mostly play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship along with England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. France have won the tournament on 26 occasions, winning the Grand Slam 10 times.
The Top 14 is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 is at the top of the national league system operated by the France National Rugby League, also known by its French initialism of LNR. There is promotion and relegation between the Top 14 and the next level down, the Pro D2. The fourteen best rugby teams in France participate in the competition, hence the name Top 14. The competition was previously known as the Top 16.
Stade Français Paris is a French professional rugby union club based in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. The club plays in the Top 14 domestic league in France and is one of the most successful French clubs of the modern era. The original Stade Français was founded in 1883. In its current form, the club was founded in 1995 with the merger of the rugby sections of the Stade Français and Club Athlétique des Sports Généraux (CASG).
Yannick Nyanga is a former professional rugby union player who played as a flanker for Racing 92 and France, and is also known for his long tenure at Toulouse. He was a part of the victorious French team of the 2006 Six Nations Championship.
Rugby union in France is a popular team sport. Rugby union was first introduced in the early 1870s by British residents, which makes the country one of the few early exponents of the sport. Elite French clubs participate in the professional domestic club league, the Top 14. Clubs also compete in the European knock-out competition, the European Rugby Champions Cup, which replaced the Heineken Cup from 2014 to 2015.
Fabien Galthié is a French rugby union coach and former player, currently the head coach of the France national team.
Florian Fritz is a French former rugby union rugby player. His usual position was in the centre. He played most of his career for Stade Toulousain in the Top 14 club competition in France. Fritz has also played for France.
Dimitri Szarzewski is a former French rugby union footballer. His usual position was at hooker, and also represented France.
Maxime Médard is a former French rugby union player who plays his club rugby for French club Stade Toulousain in Top 14 and France internationally. He can play as both a full-back and on the wing and is described by assistant national team coach Émile Ntamack as an "incredible talent" that, during the 2010–11 season, was finally "realizing his potential". Medard is a two-time winner of the Heineken Cup and, in 2008, won the Top 14 for the first time. Also referred to as 'The French Wolverine.'
Louis Picamoles is a former French professional rugby union player who most recently played for Bordeaux Bègles in the Top 14. Picamoles's usual position was at number eight.
The 2010–11 Top 14 competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Home-and-away play began on August 13, 2010 and continued through April 2011. The regular season was followed by a three-round playoff starting in May that involved the top six teams, culminating in the final on June 4 at Stade de France. Toulouse won the Bouclier de Brennus for the 18th time, defeating Montpellier 15–10.
Virimi Vakatawa is a New Zealand-born French professional rugby union player who plays as a centre or a wing for Bristol Bears and the French national team.
Teddy Thomas is a French international rugby union player who plays on the wing for La Rochelle in the Top 14.
Antoine Dupont is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for Top 14 club Toulouse and captains the France national team.
Thomas Ramos is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a fullback for Top 14 club Toulouse and the France national team. Ramos is considered to be one of the best fullbacks and place-kickers in the world.
Yoram Falatea Mulifenua Pio Moefana is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for Top 14 club Bordeaux Bègles and the France national team. Born into a Futunan family, he started his professional career in 2018.
Emmanuel Latu-Meafou is a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Top 14 club Toulouse and the France national team. Born in New Zealand to parents from Samoa, before moving to Australia where he was raised, he later obtained French nationality in 2023 and made his debut for his adoptive country in 2024.
Paul Costes is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for Top 14 club Toulouse.
