Which Rugby Ball Do I Need? The Ultimate Rugby Ball Guide

With so many different styles, pitches, player needs out there, there is a lot to think about when choosing the correct rugby ball.

Will you be playing mostly in dry, hot climates (like Australia) or wet, muddy, and cold (like the UK)?

Will you be playing 7s rugby where handling is more important than kicking, or will you be playing 15s rugby where kicking is a vital part of the game?

Which rugby pitch will you be using? Are you playing and training on artificial pitches, or grass and muddy pitches? Lots of rugby balls don’t perform well on artificial pitches and the grip wears off very quickly.

With so many aspects that make up a rugby ball, we dig deep into every element. This is the best rugby ball guide you’ll find online.

Which Rugby Ball Size Do I Need?

This will depend on your age. Size 5 is the official size used by both men’s and women’s teams in senior rugby, local domestic and international competitions, both in amateur and top-flight games.

Rugby balls come in different sizes depending on the player’s age and smaller sized balls are geared toward junior and youth rugby. This ensures handling and passing skills are developed correctly over time. The list below indicates the rugby ball sizes for different age groups:

Under 9 (Mini): Size 3

Age 10-15 (Junior): Size 4

Ages 15+ (Full Size): Size 5

What is the Standard Rugby Ball Size?

The standard rugby ball is Size 5. Here are the numbers. The official ‘boring’ bits.

World Rugby, the governing body of professional rugby, says that Size 5 rugby balls must have a length of 280-300 mm, an end-to-end circumference of 740-770 mm and width circumference of 580-620 mm.

Which Rugby Ball Grip is best?

A textured outer layer provides players with grip on the ball. Just like a car tyre’s grip on the road, the player’s hand must grip the surface of the ball extremely well. The spacing, shape and depth of the ‘pimples’ on the ball determines how the player and the ball performs. The grip on a rugby ball is carefully considered to balance between how easy a ball is to catch, versus how far it can be passed or kicked.

A more defined pimple will generally give better grip, but reduce kicking distance due to drag. The grip pattern can also affect how long the grip will remain on the ball over time. Lower profile rounder pimples will last longer but they will give less grip. This is why you will see different grip types for different types of balls.

Youth rugby will be different from 7’s rugby and touch rugby, each game requiring different levels of kicking and passing.

Grip is also affected by the type of rubber used to make the ball. Natural rubber provides more grip and synthetic rubber provides greater durability. Generally, match balls will have a higher ratio of natural rubber to synthetic rubber to provide better grip. Conversely, training balls will generally have more synthetic rubber, to provide a more durable surface compound.

Which Rugby Ball is Best for Artificial Pitches?

A lot of clubs who play on artificial turf (e.g. 3G, 4G fields) will complain that the rugby balls they play and train will lose their grip very quickly.

The best rugby ball to play with on artificial grass will need a low-profile pimple and be made out of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials. Whilst rubber compound balls have better grip, the pimples wear away very quickly leaving no grip on the ball.

Which Rugby Ball is Best for Sevens Rugby?

Sevens rugby is a fast-paced, skilful form of rugby union. Players mainly keep the ball in hand or pass the ball rather than kicking for distance. Rugby balls with high-profile ‘3D’ grip usually don’t travel very far when kicked due to the drag it will cause in the air. Since kicking isn’t very common in 7s rugby, you can use a ball with a lot more grip, ensuring you catch and pass much more easily.

Which Rugby Ball is Best for Kicking?

The best rugby balls will be accurate and travel far when kicked. To get the best out of your rugby ball when kicking, you will need a ball with:

• Low profile grip (to reduce drag and air resistance)

• In-seam valve (to ensure perfect balance in-flight)

• 3 or 4 ply panel construction (so that the ball is heavy enough and doesn’t get caught in the wind)

Rugby Ball Panel Construction

Ball panel construction is one of the most important aspects of the ball. It determines weight, shape and energy transfer properties of the ball. A panel consists of an outer layer where the rubber and grip are present and a number of layers or ‘ply’ between the outer layer and the bladder.

Match balls are generally 3 or 4-ply in construction. Training balls are usually 2 or 3-ply. The higher ply, the better quality.

Match balls are often slightly heavier meaning they are less affected by wind over a 2 ply ball, making it ideal for kicking and long passing. A higher ply ball will also generally hold its shape better than lower ply panels.

The materials used in the ply construction also affect the way the balls respond to being kicked and energy transferred to the core (the bladder).

There are many types of materials used in the construction of the layers below the outer cover. Cotton laminate, poly-cotton laminate, polyester or other synthetic material laminate.

Cotton is cheaper than synthetic materials and less effective for energy transfer than synthetics, i.e., adding kicking power into the ball. A lower quality ball will be constructed from cotton. The very best elite match balls have full synthetic ply construction using special energy transferring materials.

What is the bladder in a rugby ball?

A bladder, the core of the ball, is a vital component in ball performance. Bladders come in different varieties and sizes, depending on the use of the ball and overall quality. Traditionally, match and training balls use a natural latex bladder, which has high resilience, and provides a ball with good rebound characteristics. The downside of a natural latex bladder is that the surface is permeable, and allows air to pass through it, meaning that the balls need to be correctly re-inflated regularly. Advanced polymer bladders, which have equivalent resilience characteristics to natural latex, are non-permeable to air, and have the ability to remain inflated for much longer period.

Here are the most common bladders within a ball construct;

• Natural Latex: Soft, good bounce, releases air slowly.

• Butyl Bladders: Excellent combination of feel and air retention, typically in mid-range to elite balls.

• Synthetic Technology: A polymer bladder that retains the qualities of natural latex without losing air. This material is more expensive and used in higher quality balls which retain air for longer.

Rugby Ball Air Valve Placement

The air valve plays a key part in how the ball performs as well as using it to inflate the bladder. The valve is a weight that creates an imbalance of the ball. Correct placement of the valve is ensures a high quality match ball. The rotation of the ball is improved increasing accuracy and distance of passing, kicking and spin of the ball. In lower quality training balls the valve can reduce the accuracy and distance when compared to a match ball as the imbalance can offset spin, meaning lower precision.

Match balls will have the valve placed in the seam of the ball as this helps distribute the weight to most effectively and improve rotation.

How to care for rugby balls correctly?

Lastly, no matter how well the balls are constructed, it is important that they are stored correctly to maintain their performance. Extreme hot or cold weather can alter the shape of the ball over time. Consistently over-inflating or sitting on balls should also be avoided.

Premium rugby balls will have higher ply, better grip and core technology. Now check out our range HERE, and remember, for ever ball sold, we donate another to grassroots rugby teams across the nation.