Smaller ball in women's rugby: England players give verdict
World Rugby is trialing a slightly smaller size 4.5 ball for women's matches to better suit physiological needs and improve skill execution. While some players report improved grip, others have expressed concerns regarding the impact on kicking consistency and passing mechanics.
Why it matters
The trial highlights the ongoing debate in sports science regarding equipment standardization versus gender-specific optimization to enhance performance and safety.
Figure caption, Why smaller rugby balls for women?
England will play Australia, Canada and New Zealand in the next three weeks and, like all the world's top women's players, they have some new equipment: a smaller ball.
During September and October's WXV Global Series, World Rugby is trialling a size 4.5 ball - about 3% smaller than the size five used in the men's game, but the same weight.
Their introduction has not been without controversy and for England hooker May Campbell, responsible for throwing the ball in at the line-out, told BBC Sport it can go "a bit skew-whiff".
One of England's kickers, Helena Rowland, has found a much bigger margin for error with the smaller ball, saying: "If you get it slightly wrong, the difference is massive."
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