There is often a temptation when you are writing a newspaper column to preen when something you write actually starts to happen, and I have to say I was tempted to call out those who mocked me and accused me of overacting when I wrote in February that the whole Six Nations might have to be postponed and that coronavirus was potentially disastrous.

Then the thought occurred to me that the mockers might now be out of a job or, like myself, locked down with drear prospects of ever getting back to normal, and I am not that cruel.

Listen, folks, there is no longer any normal. The world has changed, changed utterly, and sport is no different. I have always said that life and death are somewhat more important than mere sport, and Bill Shankly was only kidding when he suggested otherwise. We all have to get on with dealing with the virus and worry about titles and cups later on.

The fact is that, at the moment, we will be very fortunate to see any rugby or any sort of team sport played this side of August, and I fear for the future of clubs here and elsewhere, especially those with little resources in the first place.

The grassroots of the game are my main concern. I have no doubt that Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby will survive in the long run, and the SRU and other governing bodies will also cope – though USA Rugby SA Rugby announced on Monday it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the equivalent to our administration protection, saying "existing financial challenges have been accelerated by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on rugby activities."

That’s a huge blow to rugby in North America and will probably set back for years the development of the game there, but hopefully they can get back on their feet. But what about the small clubs here that depend on players subs, sponsorship and bar income to keep going?

As I previously suggested, it is way past the time that National Lottery funds should be diverted to keep sport and culture going if only on a care and maintenance basis. The SRU showed the way with their hardship fund, and took another lead yesterday by having executives and head coaches take salary cuts of 25 and 30 per cent at this time, but if clubs need to pay stewards and caretakers, not to mention ground rents, taxes and all the other ‘incidentals’ that mount up and cost a pretty penny then they need a bailout, too.

Take sponsorship for instance. I have heard from pals across the Scottish game that this source of revenue was already drying up, but the virus has hit it hard and accelerated the decline, though anecdotal evidence is that many sponsors are not pressing for repayment of investment at this time.

Local authorities have a huge role to play, especially those who rent out pitches and clubhouses to rugby and other sporting clubs. Can I suggest a moratorium on payments for the rest of the year until sport is back on its feet – if it ever is?

I also wish to applaud those community clubs which are doing their best to help the vulnerable around them. My old chum Ed Crozier, the former President of the SRU, is president of Cartha Queen’s Park RFC on the southside of Glasgow, and he and the executive committee do a grand job the year round. Now the virus has totally disrupted the club, as it has every club in Scotland.

They had to close their clubhouse, so now a group of senior players has organised a volunteers’ group from within the club to offer help to their local community.

“Don’t forget, we’re here to help,” they say on their website. “We have a group of volunteers willing to do their part to help in anyway possible. Just get in touch if you need assistance of any kind.”

Even if it’s just picking up shopping, collecting medicine or walking dogs, no job is too small to the Cartha volunteers.

My own club Lismore is doing the same on the south side of Edinburgh and I know community clubs around the country have either started similar schemes or are considering doing so – and that’s also true of clubs in other sports such as football and cricket.

These efforts show that sportspeople are about working as a team, and what greater team can we serve than the people living around us?

I really do believe that teamwork and community spirit can help us all get through this nightmare, and such efforts as Cartha’s and Lismore’s and all the other community clubs won’t be forgotten.

They must be helped to survive, and for a start all council charges and ground rents must be put into abeyance at the moment. It’s only fair.