Scrum of the Earth /

This week in rugby history we celebrate the life and times of mercurial Frenchman, Freddie Michalak. He's appeared in advertisements for Nike, Manix condoms and Levis and even has a massive female and gay following. His popularity in Toulouse is Beckhamesque but his artistry far outweighs the playmaker's genius talents. If Danny Cipriani has a role model, it's more Michalak than Wilkinson.

This week Michalak turns 26 and will run out for the Sharks in the Currie Cup final before returning to his congregation in the south of France. Making his Toulouse debut aged 17, it only took another four years before he ran out for the first of his fifty caps for les tricolores.

He's been stabbed in the hand with a fork by Fabien Pelous and his naughty schoolboy antics are Toulousain folklore. His story is one of both beauty and the beast, but we love a character at ScrumoftheEarth.

Elsewhere, in 54 AD Emperor Nero, the inspiration behind Lawrence Dallaglio's middle name, was elevated to the throne as Roman emperor, giving rise to athletic games such Gladiators and chariot racing. And in 1987, Michael Fish signed himself up for a hurricane of public service criticism for being far too flippant about the biggest British storm to hit since 1703.

And it's Manuia lou aso fanau as they say in Samoa to South Africa's rampaging Ryan Kankowski (23); Aussie Tim-Tam, it's Timana Tahu (28; Irish hooker and landlord Jerry Flannery (30); and English rugby royalty, Mike Tindall (30).