Interesting article by Brian Moore in today's Torygraph on the rituals some sportsmen and women go through prior to a match or event. It got me thinking; when I played rugby, I always had to tuck my shirt collar in, roll down my socks and tape a piece of black insulating tape around each wrist. I would also try and be the last on the pitch. For cricket, I would never stop before starting my bowling run-up, but simply turn around at my mark and charge in. Does anyone else here have similar habits?

I've noticed that I've started to put on my protective gear in the same order whenever I have a roller derby bout or scrimmage: knee gaskets, knee pads, skates (left one first), elbow pads, wrist guards (with white tape underneath), helmet and then mouth guard. No other order will do!

Back when I played rugby, I always had to wind tape around my boots (to hold the laces in place) three times.

To date, I have always insisted that the crew puts the sails up and turns the engine off before the start of a race.

Subsequent success has been intermittent, to be honest, so it may well pay to abandon this particular ritual.