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Cape Town - For most working folk, December represents an opportunity to put the feet up, recharge and reflect.
It's the holiday season, after all.
But if you work for SA Rugby, then there's no time for relaxation.
Instead, December is looking increasingly like a crucially important month in terms of shaping the future of South African rugby.
Key decisions over the future of the Springboks, coach Allister Coetzee, competition formats and constitutional changes at SA Rugby are all set to take place over the next couple of weeks.
How SA Rugby manages these issues moving forward is surely the biggest test president Mark Alexander and the new leadership have faced so far, and the decisions will be watched closely.
Of course, the most pertinent issue in the public's eye is the future of Coetzee.
It had initially seemed that a General Council meeting on December 9 would be the meeting to determine Coetzee's future, but that discussion looks set for December 13 now.
Outside of the boardroom issues, there is also a Springbok v Proteas exhibition match, the Cape Town Sevens and a conditioning indaba on the schedule.
SA Rugby's hectic December:
December 7: Springbok conditioning guru Warren Adams will host a conditioning indaba with the Super Rugby franchises. This meeting, taking place in Cape Town, follows October's coaching indaba. Coetzee is still seeking a coaching blueprint, and he wants that to apply to conditioning as well. The idea is to ensure that all of the Super Rugby franchises condition their players in a way that falls in line with Springbok philosophy.
December 8: Springboks v Proteas exhibition match, Newlands
December 8: SA Rugby Exco meeting in Cape Town. Possible discussion on overseas-based player policies, but unlikely to be any decisions taken.
December 9: SA Rugby General Council meeting in Cape Town. This was originally thought to be the meeting that would decide Coetzee's future. Instead, this meeting will look at proposed SA Rugby constitutional changes, possible changes to competition formats like the Currie Cup and it will determine the budgets ahead of the new financial year.
December 12: Coetzee meets with Super Rugby coaches. This is the official follow-up to the October coaching indaba. Here, Coetzee will meet with the six Super Rugby coaches ahead of the new Super Rugby season. Again, all part of his search for the South African blueprint.
December 13: SA Rugby season review. This is the big one for Coetzee. He will meet with the Exco sub-committee and will be expected to provide feedback on what was a woeful season for the Boks.
