Special correspondent in Edinburgh
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His status as the most capped Blue – 87 caps since… 2013 – made him one of the players most targeted by criticism.
His disappointing World Cup, far from his standards, then his failed match against Ireland, it was a lot for all those who aspire to see in his place one of the rising talents of French rugby, the Bordeaux Nicolas Depoortère or the Palois Émilien Gailleton.
Gaël Fickou therefore knew he was particularly expected against Scotland.
On the carpet.
And the center of Racing 92 responded.
A try (his 15th in the jersey of the French team), a breakaway full of determination which should have had a better fate if he had been able to serve his young winger, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, a big presence in the hot spots , a newfound defensive solidity.
“It’s getting better,”
the person concerned relishes, relieved.
It's never easy, but when you're not good, criticism is justified.
You have to accept when it's good but also when it's not going well... You have to turn your back, work and raise your head.
I did it and I showed a different face in this match.
It’s nice, we have to continue.”
A pleasure shared by its captain, Grégory Alldritt.
“We wanted to win for ourselves and we did it.
I'm happy for the group and for some players.
No need to mention them, you all know very well who they are.
First of all, I love reading articles when they are positive.
I also read them when they are negative.
And it is something that becomes an essence, for me as for all of us.
Our criticized players showed character.
But it didn’t surprise anyone inside the group.”
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Beyond his personal case, if Gaël Fickou appreciates so much having returned to success, certainly with forceps, it is because he intervenes in a undermined context, between questioning of what has been achieved and concern about new shortcomings.
“This victory is pleasing because we are going through a somewhat difficult period, we must not deny it.
Under the Galthié era, it was the first time that we were faced with such a complicated situation.
We were attacked from all sides.
I repeat, it was justified.
When you win, everything is beautiful.
When you lose, everything is bad.
It's normal, it's the law of high-level sport.
But we were angry.
We knew who, if we lost, it would have been very hard…”
The three-quarter center of the Blues can breathe.
The worst has been avoided.
And it doesn't matter the way, in this case subject to doubt.
“We can do better, that’s obvious,”
admits the Racingman.
But we won at Murrayfield, which is getting harder and harder.
We showed character until the last second.
This French team, even if it was criticized a lot, didn't give up and showed a great state of mind.
This reflects our mentality.
It is in difficult times that we see if we are capable of tightening up, if we falter or if we raise our heads.
We did it.
This shows that we are a real team.
We made a misstep against Ireland - we have the right, even if we prefer to avoid it - but I think we have put things right.
It’s up to us to continue like this until the end of the competition.”
Head held high again.