Scrum of the Earth /

We say Joyeux anniversaire! to Grand Slam French flanker cum coach Jean-Claude Skrela this week in rugby history! A quiet confident type, the 46-times capped man from Colomiers let his achievements speak for themselves. The son of Polish refugees, Skrela was the uncompromising part of the beastly back-row with tearaway flanker Jean-Pierre Rives and agile Jean-Pierre Bastiat that won a Five Nations Grand Slam in 1977.

Success didn't stop there as Skrela coached les Tricolores to their first ever back-to-back Grand Slams in 1997 and 1998 before overseeing arguably French rugby's finest rugby hour, the 43-31 World Cup semi-final triumph over the All-Blacks, in 1999.

It was grim news this week in 1938, when PM Neville Chamberlain hopped off a plane from Munich after allowing Hitler to annex Sudetenland and proclaimed “Peace in Our Time”. And sad too in 1955, as Hollywood’s Rebel Without A Cause James Dean was killed when his Porsche crashed near Paso Robles, California. But celebrations In 1968 a woman gave birth to the first recorded sextuplets in Britain. At odds of three thousand million to one, it would have given bookmakers a right headache had Barry and Sheila Thorns not undergone fertility treatment, the tinkers.

And it's Fortuna dies natalis! as they say in Latin to Australian beach bum Matt Giteau (26), Auckland boss Pat Lam (40), Bath bruiser Matt Stevens (26), Irish full-back Girvan Dempsey (33), former England giant Wade Dooley (51) and All-Black legend David Kirk (47)

Andy Irvine was a genius. Arguably the greatest running full-back the world has ever seen, Irvine was born on September 16 195, later making his debut against New Zealand in 1972.

For those who were unlucky not to see Irvine's unique attacking capabilities in their pomp, think Christian Cullen's magic mixed together with Gavin Hastings' spice, and you're in the right area.

Electric pace coupled with a elusive step meant Irvine was a defensive line's worst nightmare.

51 caps, 15 as captain, three Lions tours, including five trues in one game, his career highlights included leading Scotland to their first win in Cardiff for 20 years in 1982, which in turn was Wales' first defeat in the capital for 27 games.

Back in the real world, in 1673, Galileo Galilei is tried before the Spanish Inquisition for daring to teach that the Earth orbits the Sun. Elsewhere in 1900, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid commit their first robbery together and in 1970, Jimi Hendrix, ever the showman, died a totally rock 'n' roll death after asphyxiating on his own vomit following a drug overdose at a party.

And it's, Cherd Songsri! As they say in the Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, to the world's quickest Tiger, Tom Varndell, (23), England's youngest member of dad's army, Mike Catt (37) , French scrummie Dimitri Yachvilli (28) Aussie scholar Joe Roff (33) record breaking All-Black try scorer Doug Howlett (30) and that Argentinean who sounds like an Italian pasta dish, Diego Albanese (35)

This week we're going birthday crazy and we're saluting two of the game's giants, Graham Mourie (56) and Hugo Porta (57).

Mourie or 'Goss' such was his nickname was a dynamic flanker and awe-inspiring skipper in the Richie McCaw mould, who led the first New Zealand side to complete the Grand Slam on the 1978 tour of Europe.

Argentina's Porta is arguably the finest fly-half the game has even seen. A tactical genius and metronomic kicker, memorable contributions included 18 points in the 24-13 victory over Wallabies in 1979 and scoring all 21 points in the tied battle with the All-Blacks in 1985, earning him cult status across the world.

Back in the real world, in 122, the Romans stumbled upon Wallsend in northern England and decided to build a wall in dedication to Emperor Hadrian, stretching right across to the shore of the Bowness-on-Solway.

Later on, In 1814, Francis Scott Key writes "The Star Spangled Banner" giving future opportunities for R'n'B stars such as Beyonce to belt it out with guys ogling over her curves.

And Most recently, in 2001, 2,974 people are killed in America from coordinated attacks on the World Trade Centre, The Pentagon and an unplanned airline crash in Pennsylvania.

And it's Urime ditelindjen as they say in Albania to Chris Latham (33), Os du Randt (36), Tom Rees (24), Andrew Hore (30), Lionel Nallet (32), Chilliboy Raphaelle (22), Ben Cohen 30) and Luke Fitzgerald (21)