THIS is what sportswriters call the “silly season”.

That period of the year when there’s a brief lull between seasons: when Dad lights his pipe, picks up his newspaper and forces himself to rediscover his reading skills, while wife, daughter-in-law and grandkids squabble over TV channels ranging between cooking, fashion and animated cartoons.

Well, at least AB de Villiers and his Proteas set the record straight in the second T20 last Sunday with an emphatic win to square the series 1-1 after going down in Wellington.

What a revelation Richard Levi turned out to be in Hamilton. With his multiple fours and sixes’ undefeated century, he could have taken on the Kiwi Black Caps on his own! If it’s early in the day as you read on, lean over and switch on the TV and you’ll catch the T20 decider in Auckland.

The “silly season” means you have to look about a little. Something always crops up like the oldest-living Springbok captain, Des van Jaarsveldt, at 83, still extremely hale and hearty. Des was captain of the 1960 team that played a single test against Scotland, in PE, at the Boet Erasmus Stadium. The Scots were led by Gordon Waddell at flyhalf.

Last Sunday was Van Jaarsveldt’s wedding anniversary. He was being “picked up early” by friends and would be celebrating “until late,” he said. So readers will have to wait until next week for some interesting thoughts on rugby in general; how the game has changed. Is it a better game, and how can it best be improved?

In his only test, the Rhodesian Currie Cup captain led the Boks to victory in what Danie Craven, in his book, Springbok Annals 1891-1964, described as “far from impressive”. The Scots lost a player to injury in the 12th minute and had to play with 14 men for 14 minutes. Craven, always the toughest of critics, observed of the Boks’ 18-10 win (three tries to two) that breaks by the Scottish scrumhalf around Van Jaarsveldt’s side of the scrum “gave the Springboks some anxious moments”, though the captain was able to redeem himself with a try.

Van Jaarsveldt’s team was brimming with talent: a young Mickey Gerber at fullback, Kirkpatrick and Gainsford in midfield, Jannie Engelbrecht at wing, Dave Stewart and Mannetjies Gericke at halfback, EP prop Doug Holton, lock Johan Claassens and Doug Hopwood at No 8.

The EP Kings recently lost 88-0 to Lions, but managed in rainy conditions to regain some pride with a 38-13 loss to the Sharks. Though the KZN outfit may have been disappointed with their showing at the “Sunflower” stadium, Sharks coach John Plumtree, felt it was a good test for their opening Super Rugby clash with the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.

The season ahead is bursting with possibilities. Looking towards the 2015 World Cup, how many “new boys” will Bok coach Heyneke Meyer blood in his first year as commanding officer? Who will be his captain Schalk Burger, maybe? Will JP Pietersen become an international sensation in midfield? Has Pat Lambie got what it takes to become another Keith Oxlee?