Gaël Fickou named captain for Toulon's season opener

Gaël Fickou will make his official debut for Rugby Club Toulonnais (RCT) this Saturday against Bayonne, serving as one of the club's designated captains for the season. The 32-year-old center, who has 98 caps for France, returns to his formative club fourteen years after leaving for Toulouse without having played a professional match for them.

Fickou joins David Ribbans and Lewis Ludlam as part of a three-man captaincy rotation. Alongside Fickou, several new signings are set to start or feature prominently. Judicaël Cancoriet will start in the second row at number 5, while other recent acquisitions including Rabah Slimani and Scottish international Huw Jones will begin the match on the bench.

Coach Franck Azéma has emphasized the importance of creating unity and a strong identity within the squad as they begin their Top 14 campaign.