For the second year in a row, Saint-Pierre-de-Trivisy, a charming town in Tarn, hosted the presentation of the La Bibliotèca rugby book prize. In the presence of the 2022 winner, Didier Cavarot, who inaugurated the list with the chronicles of “Monsieur Rusigby”, Benoît Jeantet was rewarded for his collection of short stories “The Sky Has Legs. Oval melancholy” (Editions du Volcan).
The work is made up of around thirty texts which evoke with tenderness, melancholy and nostalgia the world of rugby as it spans the decades: a micro-society which sometimes seems to come out of a chivalry novel, sometimes from a Greek tragedy. All the characters featured in these short stories experience suffering, pain, disillusionment, dreams and childish joys as only Ovalie can offer.
“Rugby is a country, a continuous source of wonder and emotion,” underlined Benoît Jeantet. Originally from the Pays de Sault, this Parisian is already the author of several books – novels, poems, short stories. After writing in the specialized press, he now works in teaching, supporting young audiences in artistic creation and leading writing workshops.
Offering its winner a week of writer’s residency in Saint-Pierre-de-Trivisy and endowed with 3,000 euros, the Bibliotèca Prize for the best rugby work of the past year was founded by Philippe Folliot, Richard Escot, editor in deputy head of “L’Équipe” and David Reyrat, senior reporter at “Figaro”, where he notably heads the rugby section.
The other members of the jury are the former international player and coach of the France team Pierre Berbizier, the former international and TV consultant Laura Di Muzio, the artist-photographer Max Armengaud, the writer Jean Colombier, the deputy director of “Midi Olympique” Emmanuel Massicard, the writer and deputy director of “Figaro Magazine” Jean-Christophe Buisson and the 2022 winner, Didier Cavarot.
