World Rugby considers smaller size 4.5 ball for women’s game

Thursday, 11 April 2024 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

World Rugby is considering the use of a smaller ball in the women’s game.

The global governing body is collecting training and playing data on the size 4.5 ball which is about 3% smaller and 3-4% lighter than a typical size 5 ball.

World Rugby Science and Medical Manager Lindsay Starling said “typically an adult male hand is 10% larger” than that of an adult female.

“The women’s playing community is quite divided,” Starling said.

“There’s a big proportion of individuals in this community that think and feel that retaining the use of the same equipment in the men’s game is important.

“So World Rugby have committed to trialling what actually happens if women play with the smaller ball.”

World Rugby confirmed that playing data was gathered at the Women’s Under-18s Six Nations, where sides played with a size 4.5 ball this month, while training data was gathered from three Celtic Challenge sides.

The outputs on this data will be shared when available.

Starling said the smaller ball would be in “better proportion to the female athletes’ hands” and could result in “numerous positive benefits”.

The theory is that by being in better proportion to the player the ball would be easier to hold, there would be fewer knock-ons in contact and it would increase passing speed and accuracy.

This could then create a faster game with fewer rucks and scrums, while kicking and lineout throws might also mean improvements in accuracy and distance.

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