Calon: A Journey to the Heart of Welsh Rugby

by Owen Sheer

This edition has been fully updated to include the 2013 Six Nations and the British and Irish Lions Tour.What does rugby mean to Wales? Where does the heart of Welsh rugby lie? In Calon , Owen Sheers takes a personal journey into a sport that defines a nation. Drawing on interviews and unprecedented access with players and WRU coaching staff, Calon presents an intimate portrait of a national team in the very best tradition of literary sports writing.At the 2011 Rugby World Cup a young Welsh side captained by the 22-year-old Sam Warburton, captured the imagination of the rugby-watching world. Exhibiting the grit and brilliance of generations past, an ill-fated semi-final ended in heartbreak. But a fledgling squad playing with the familiarity of brothers had sent out an electrifying message of could this be a third golden generation of Welsh rugby?It was with this question hanging in the air that Owen Sheers took up his position as Writer in Residence for the Welsh Rugby Union. Calon is the document of a year spent at the heart of Welsh rugby; the inside story of a 6 Nations campaign that galvanised a nation and ended in Grand Slam success for the third time in 8 years.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2012

Reviews

[Nick Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lyrical and rich, yet curiously grounded and very readable, this work by ‘writer in residence’ Owen Sheers as he spent a period with the Welsh rugby Union team in the early 2010s was a pleasure. Picked up cheap, despite being neither the most heartfelt fans of the game, nor a man of the principality, I got plenty of enjoyment from this - insightful about the details of professional sport, yet poetic about the history and standing of the game in the small passionate country.

[Steph Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this intriguing insight into the welsh rugby team. Owen Sheers is fantastic in his lyrical writing. It makes it even more possible to remember the scenes we saw, and imagine the ones we didn't. All in all,a great way of delving into the behind the scenes life of the squad, management and all involved in the wru. Would recommend for any rugby fan. Or those looking for a bit of insight into the patriotism of us welsh.

[Michael Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the heck out of this one. Sheers gets great access to the Welsh team, and delivers a highly compelling portrait of the 2012 Six Nations championship. Sheers also gets into rugby's place in Welsh culture, and how, more than in England and Scotland, rugby--not soccer--is a key part of the national psyche. Sheers develops good rapport with the Welsh players and coaches, which makes for a fun read...wish I'd read it before the most recent Six Nations championship, not just after.

[Linda Wallis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely fabulous book!
He has completely captured what it feels like to support the Welsh Team & given a huge insight into the team itself.
As a Wales supporter, I found myself holding my breath as he described the games!
If you are a rugby fan & particularly a Wales supporter, you should read this book.
CYMRU AM BYTH!

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book (but then I'm a massive rugby fan and Welsh, so it's my ideal read!) It gave some interesting insights into the players and their environment, as it covers Wales' Grand Slam of 2012 and their summer tour to Australia.

Great read!

[latner3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are Welsh and like Rugby you will love this.I am and i do.

'Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi....'

[Tim Tat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zijn er eigenlijk andere landen waar rugby een religie is zoals in Nieuw-Zeeland en Wales? De vraag stellen is hem beantwoorden. In Engeland zal voetbal altijd groter zijn, in Zuid-Afrika cricket en in Australië natuurlijk League en Aussie Rules. De passie en trots waarmee Welshmen hun sport beleven is zo intens dat het haast niet met woorden te beschrijven is. Gelukkig voor ons kreeg dichter, (toneel)schrijver Owen Sheers een jaar lang onbeperkte toegang tot spelers en staf van Wales tijdens het 6 Nations toernooi van 2012 en hun toer naar Australië.

Het mooie is dat Sheers net als alle andere 2 miljoen inwoners van het prinsdom en de meer dan 3 miljoen die verspreid over de wereld wonen een groot rugbyfan. Zijn enthousiasme is voelbaar tussen de regels door en zijn gesprekken met spelers als Rhys Philips, Adam Jones en Leigh Halfpenny, coaches Warren Gatland, Shaun Edwards tot aan de mannen die het veld van het Millennium Stadium in orde brengen zijn hartverwarmend. Het grootste deel van het boek gaat over de één na laatste Grand Slam die Wales behaalde en dan met name de voorbereiding van en de finale tegen Frankrijk thuis in het rugbygekke Cardiff. Er zijn natuurlijk meerdere boeken over deze jonge groep spelers geschreven maar de stijl van Sheers maakt dit boek tot een absolute topper in het genre. Mijn enige minpuntje betreft het beperkte en wat abrupt einde van de trip ‘down under’. Komende uit de absolute ‘high’ na de Grand Slam volgt de enorme ‘low’ van een 3-0 verloren serie tegen de Wallebies die toen trouwens wel 2e op de wereldranglijst stonden. Maar een ‘whitewash’ was wel het laatste wat Gats en co verwachten. Lees en geniet!

Natuurlijk bestel je dit boek bij je plaatselijke boekhandel, zo steunen we de lokale ondernemer.
Doedelzak

[Jason Fawkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fair weather rugby fan, and not a reader of sports journalism and biography. However, even so I found this account of the 2013 Six Nations and Lions Tours, with the insights into the personalities, history of the game, landscape of the country, and the influence of the game on the culture of Wales, and the culture on the game, written in rich, readable prose, compelling.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Owen Sheers' novels and poetry but I couldn't finish this book. I think you have to be a huge fan of Welsh Rugby to persevere to the end.

[John Loaring · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read. Gets right inside the heart and mind of Welsh rugby

[Gareth Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. I was glad this had been updated to cover the England game in 2013. It was truly a golden era for Welsh rugby.

[Hilary Kemp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking at the reviews it's mainly been read by men or rugby fans (or both)- no huge surprise. I read it because I love Owen Sheers poetry and other writing (including the novel Resistance - must as this to Good Reads as it deserves 5 stars). I was intrigued how a poet would convey the power and aggression of rugby ..... And came away impressed by the way that Owen gets under the skin of the players, the team, their triumphs and disappointments but above all explains why rugby has such an important place in the Welsh national character.

[Jools · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful prose describing not only the "behind the scenes" part of the game, but detailing exactly how, for eighty minutes, fifteen men become a nation, become the land itself, and carry the hearts of their country within their own. Rugby fan or not, this is a captivating read, and one I will be returning to.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original, insightful and inspirational.

If you're :

A) Welsh
B) Interested in rugby

Looking for something to put some hwyl in to your life!

[Pat Stearman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful insight into the Wales team and the specific seasons it covers. Learned a huge amount of useless and useful info! Also cried a bit.
Do love his writing, must read more....

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welsh rugby as described by Owen Sheers. Nothing else to say. Great stuff!

[Edwinnaarden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it, brilliant book for me but maybe not for everyone.

[Tom Templeton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring. Lacking in insight and so utterly and boringly pro Welsh that I have no idea why I bothered finishing the book. Rugby is a great sport, important to so many but the author seems to have forgotten that most of those people aren't Welsh.