6 Nations Tournament: a magical breakthrough, a crucial test and a lot of character, Gaël Fickou or the boss's response after the criticism

Le trois-quarts centre Gaël Fickou, désigné “homme du match” contre l'Ecosse, samedi à Murrayfield. MAXPPP – Jane Barlow

Le taulier de l'équipe de France, critiqué pour sa Coupe du monde sans éclat, a retrouvé tout son pétillant face à l'Ecosse et refroidi ses détracteurs, samedi à Murrayfiled. 

Target of criticism "justified" for months, Gaël Fickou has made & quot;the round back" and responded on Saturday on the pitch in Scotland, where he was named man of the match following the difficult victory for the Blues (20-16 ) in the Six Nations Tournament.

After giving reassuring news of his cut left leg, which resulted in him being taken out on a stretcher, Grégory Alldritt, as a supportive captain, immediately had a press conference, in the antiquated bowels of Murrayfield, a word for his partners. "I'm very, very happy for some of the players", he said.

"There is no need to mention them, you all know very well (who they are). They showed a lot of character. No one in the group is surprised because we know them well and we know what they are capable of".

It's hard not to think of Fickou first. The most experienced player in the French group, with his 87 caps, the three-quarter center was called into question after a lackluster World Cup and a disappointing first part of the season with Racing 92.

In two actions, he regained all his sparkle

"Of course since my return to the club, I have performed less well. I'm aware of it, I don't hide it, he admitted in January in an interview with the newspaper L'Equipe. "There are times when you perform well. Others where it’s more complicated. I'm probably less bubbly these days".