Perspective vital when dealing with our sporting grief

EARLY start last Saturday morning, to get the City Special edition out on the final whistle of Ireland-Wales at the Rugby World Cup.

Oh, the anticipation! Trundling through the dark streets like a...like a burglar casing an entire city, we nodded sagely at the front-room windows lit up in anticipation of the game. Hopping out by Jury’s Hotel on the quay we caught a whiff of frying sausage coming out of the hotel and, showing superhuman self-control, we strode past and into work.

(Disclosure: you are correct in surmising that the hotel kitchen door was locked. We know. We tried.) Okay, it didn’t turn out the way we all hoped. But the tournament’s still going on. Your correspondent is now trying to help you deal with your grief by fielding a few questions.