On Friday evening, during the delivery of the shirts, Gaël Fickou was one of the most moved players of the ceremony.
A special ceremony.
Without warning anyone in the group before, the French staff had decided to print the name of the first international club on the back of the tunics.
For the kid from La Seyne-sur-Mer, the moment resonated deep within him.
“It's a really important club for me because it allowed me to see something else, explained the Stade Français player.
I come from a small neighborhood at the base, where we are not promised much, but rugby has given me values.
Now, we have the chance to have an incredible life, to play cups in big stadiums, to meet guys like you, all extraordinary in their own way.
I hope that against Ireland, we will have all the values of the US Seynoise because I know that we will have a big defense ... We were known to be warriors even if I was not the leader of the warriors .
We have to be convinced that we are going to do great things.
"
🏉 Find the moving jersey delivery of the XV of France # 6nations2020
Match against Ireland to be found tonight on @ France2tv and @francetvsport at 9:00 p.m. with @Cdricbeaudou and @lartot #FRAIRL @FranceRugby
The match live: https: // t.co/jlsEyUURKQ pic.twitter.com/RgrwPlvfyZ
- France tv sport (@francetvsport) October 31, 2020
The kid who became a part of the France team - he is the most capped player in the selection, with now 57 games - kept his word.
Offset on the wing for strategic reasons, far from his favorite position, in the center, where he had done wonders last week against Wales, Fickou was the first tricolor to show himself, to give the example and to break through the Irish defense.
Confirming in passing that he was, at 26, an indisputable holder for coach Fabien Galthié and one of the leaders of this young French squad.
He also started all the matches of the tournament.
The feeling of duty accomplished
In the 7th minute of play, the Parisian recovered the ball, achieved a framing-overflow, to show in all schools, before launching Antoine Dupont who then spun alone, towards the first try (5-0, 7th).
A shadow player, Fickou also knows how to be forgotten in order to appear at the right time.
Each of his interventions brings danger to the Irish camp.
At the start of the second half, he was still at the heart of the action which led to the third test for the French team thanks to a clever kick for Dupont.
With five minutes from the end, the exit of Racingman Vakatawa allowed him to find the center.
But whatever the position, Fickou could above all have the feeling of duty accomplished.
Even if France failed to win the tournament for a point average question, it finished in 2nd place and signed its best result for almost a decade.
Fickou, he wore the colors of the Blues and this small club of US Seynoise to the highest.
