No Welsh rugby fan will forget the final match of Wales’ 2012 Grand Slam campaign – the 16-9 victory over France. Wales had a point to prove. In the autumn of 2011 they had reached the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup for the first time since 1987, narrowly losing to France 8-9 after a red card awarded to captain Sam Warburton by referee Alain Rolland. They made their point in style, silencing critics and the pain of five months ago.
Welsh writer Owen Sheers was lucky enough to experience this campaign from the touch line as the Welsh Rugby Union’s first writer-in-residence. Following the squad’s highs and lows through this most unusual and intimate position, Owen crafted his year into the stunning book Calon: A Journey to the Heart of Welsh Rugby (Faber, 2013). The latest edition also takes in Wales’s 30-3 beating of England in 2013, and a chapter on the Lions tour. A creative depiction of his emotional and actual journey, Calon weaves together the threads of facts, experiences, feelings and people: it is a shining example of how sport and art mix, and how word play can be found in both the everyday and the exceptional.
Literature Wales has picked up these themes and put together an event featuring Owen, with special guests including journalist Carolyn Hitt (author of Wales Play in Red, Gomer) and fellow fan and writer Jasper Rees (author of Bred of Heaven, Profile Books). Entitled Calon, Owen Sheers and the WRU on Tour, The Arts Council of Wales and Welsh Rugby Union have generously funded its staging in schools and rugby clubs across South and West Wales (28 April – 2 May) and North Wales (17-21 November). The club events are free and open to all- click here for a list of venues).
Literature Wales CEO Lleucu Siencyn said: “Wales is as passionate about its rugby as it is about its poetry and prose (think Bread of Heaven, Calon Lân, Hymns and Arias) so Literature Wales simply had to seize the opportunity to tour one of our most prominent writers exploring the national sport. Owen Sheers will thrill audiences with his creative take on that crucial year, when the world once again stood up and took note of Wales’ sporting prowess”
WRU Chief Executive Roger Lewis said: “Owen has joined a privileged few in being able to witness first-hand the trials and tribulations of a Wales Grand Slam, with un-restricted access to the inner sanctum of the national squad’s training camps. Calon delivers a fascinating insight into the world of the international rugby player at a time of unprecedented success for Welsh rugby and this tour, which will take his insights into the some of Welsh rugby’s true heartlands, is set to be un-missable”
Arts Council of Wales Chair Dai Smith said: “Arts Council of Wales was delighted to initiate the first Artist in Residence Scheme with a national sports organisation. Our partner was the Welsh Rugby Union. Our chosen artist was Owen Sheers. With Calon, Owen scored the try we all wished to see and converted it from the touchline. This is only the beginning, and we look forward to future creative partnerships with the Welsh Rugby Union and others who engage in the popular culture of Wales”
