Just How Good Are W RUGBY Balls, Really?
We go head to head with some of the best rugby balls in the market
We at W RUGBY are the new kids on the block. We know we need to be absolutely exceptional if we’re to challenge the very best - if there’s one thing we know as rugby lovers, sticking with the status quo is very much the norm in our sport, so we have our work cut out if we want to rise to the top.
W RUGBY are here and ready to challenge, but with hundreds of years of rugby tradition to compete with, it’s a steep hill to climb to convince everyone that we’re ready to play with the big dogs.
Bringing a brilliant new rugby ball product onto the market is a huge task, especially as rugby giants such as Gilbert have been doing a great job so far.
So how exactly do we stack up against other rugby ball brands? Here’s what you need to know.
How does W RUGBY compare against Gilbert rugby balls?
Firstly, it’s important to know that there are different qualities of rugby balls from Gilbert, from entry level training balls such as the Vector TR to Matchday international quality rugby balls like the Barbarian and Kinetica rugby balls.
We’re going to compare W RUGBY balls against the Gilbert Barbarian and Kinetica match rugby balls, the four and five-star balls from Gilbert.
Are W RUGBY balls lighter than Gilbert Balls?
We get this question a lot. Traditionally, cheaper, lesser-known rugby ball brands are lightweight and float in the wind because they’re manufactured with 2-ply panels instead of 3 and 4-ply match balls. W RUGBY balls are 4 layer polyester providing the required weight to the ball and maximum energy transfer for kickers.
W RUGBY eliteflight™ match: 452 grams
Gilbert Barbarian: 449 grams
Gilbert Kinetica: 455 grams
We wanted to engineer a rugby ball that is right between both ball types so that players hardly notice the difference in weight switching from either Gilbert ball to W RUGBY.
Are W RUGBY balls a different shape?
All three rugby balls are identical in all dimensions – consistency is key for the player, no matter what brand you choose to play with.
What about the performance?
W RUGBY eliteflight™ match balls (and training balls for that matter) are engineered with in-seam valve technology for perfect balance in-flight. Placing the seam in the middle of the panel requires additional structural support, meaning that there isn’t that perfect weight distribution.
We took the decision to create all W RUGBY balls with in-seam valves so that players maintain consistency and feel from the training ground to the matchday fields.
Gilbert match rugby balls have a similar approach with truflight, however this doesn’t extend to less expensive training balls in their range.
Rugby Ball Specs from World Rugby
World Rugby, the governing body of rugby union, sets out rules for rugby balls. Law 2 is the Rugby Ball law which explains how a rugby ball needs to be manufactured. These specs are:
The rugby ball must be made from four panels
Length: Between 280 – 300 mm
Long axis: Between 740 – 770 mm
Short axis: Between 580 – 620 mm
Weight: Between 410 – 460 grams
Every W RUGBY ball, from training to matchday, adheres to World Rugby laws.
ex-Brumbies, Force and Australia 7s legend James Stannard teaching with W RUGBY Balls
If all the specs are so similar, why should I switch to W RUGBY?
Great question! We’re only at the start of our journey. We have so many amazing ideas of how to improve rugby balls for the player to kick further and pass better. We’re even partnering with top UK rugby universities to research and test our designs and specs.
Releasing a ball with similar specs to what’s already in the market means we can get players used to the W RUGBY brand without changing too much in the very beginning. If we can get to this level already, just think what we can do with even more time!
However, what makes W RUGBY stand out from the pack are two very important factors….
Incredible Grip: We spoke to top international rugby athletes and grassroots rugby players and coaches and they tell us that grip is the most important factor in a rugby ball. Our blend of premium synthetic and natural rubber means we bring you the best grip you’ve ever felt on a ball and, more importantly, grip that lasts throughout the season.
Grassroots Good: It’s not just about the ball for us, it’s the wider W RUGBY mission. We want every club, school and community to play with top quality rugby balls, starting at grassroots level. That’s why with every rugby ball that we sell, we match each purchase and donate another ball to grassroots causes. We call it Project: Won for Won™.
