At the heart of our great game is the rugby ball, that odd shaped ball with the strange bounce that can’t be predicted. It should be annoying but to a rugby fan it is thing of beauty. Here’s our buyer’s guide to rugby balls.
When choosing a rugby ball, you should consider several factors, including the following:
- The purpose of the rugby ball
- The size of the rugby ball needed
- The material that the rugby ball is made from
- The brand of the rugby ball
- The price of the rugby ball
Once you have got these figured out then you are in a much better position to select your ball. Whilst some of this might sound obvious it is worth covering in order to make the correct selection.
Ultmately though, we recommend the Gilbert range of balls as they are by far the best quality and most reputable supplier of rugby balls.
VIEW ALL GILBERT RUGBY BALL DEALS HERE
The Price Of The Rugby Ball
Rugby ball prices depend a lot on the ball’s quality, brand, and use. It is possible to buy a rugby ball for under ten dollars, but you should not expect to buy a quality ball at that price. Typical price ranges for the different types of balls are as follows:
Social and Replica balls
Prices range from $8 for a Gilbert beach rugby ball to $45 for a Gilbert Club Replica Ball.
Training Balls
Prices range from $5.50 for a Mitre Saber training ball to $30 for a Gilbert G-TR4000 training ball.
Specialist Training Balls
Prices range from $30 for a Gilbert Precision Kicking Ball to $40 for a Gilbert Rebounder Training Ball.
Match Balls
Prices range from $35 for a Gilbert Photon Match Ball to $170 for a Gilbert Sirius Match Ball
The Purpose Of The Rugby Ball.
There are different types of rugby balls available on the market, each with its own purpose. These are the typical uses for rugby balls.
Social Rugby
Many people like to play rugby socially when they get together with friends. For social rugby, it is not necessary to have a high-quality ball. However, one should consider the ball’s level of water resistance if playing on the beach or somewhere the ball might get wet.
Beginner Rugby
When someone considers taking up rugby as a sport, it is not always a good idea to start with a high-quality, expensive ball. There are many rugby balls on the market to get people used to the sport. Smaller rugby balls are a good starting point for younger kids.
Rugby Practice
To practice, it is usually a good idea to use a higher quality rugby ball with a similar feel to that of a match ball. Some practice balls come in bright colors that make the ball more visible, which is ideal when practicing catching a high ball, for instance. These balls are usually cheaper and more durable than match balls.
School And Lower League Club Matches
A high-quality rugby ball should be used for matches. However, it is unnecessary to use top-quality rugby balls when playing in schools and lower club leagues. The durability of the ball should still be a priority.
First-class Rugby Matches
First-class and international rugby matches require top-quality rugby balls. These balls offer superior grip and flight, enabling professional rugby players to perform at their best.
The Size Of The Rugby Ball
Rugby balls are sized in numbers from size 1 for the smallest to size 5 for the largest rugby balls. The size of the ball is important, as each ball size has a specific purpose.
Size 1
Also known as a mini-ball, the size 1 rugby ball is the smallest available, only about 6 inches in length. These balls typically develop catching and passing skills in younger children. Still, they can be used by players of any age. Mini balls are sometimes used in matches featuring players younger than seven years.
Size 2
Also known as midi balls, size 2 rugby balls are 8.7 inches long. Size 2 balls are not used in matches but as replica balls and promotional gifts. It is not uncommon to see a midi ball displayed in a rugby supporter’s man cave, usually in the colors of the owner’s favorite team.
Size 3
These rugby balls are used by younger players aged seven to nine years and are approximately 10 inches in length. The purpose of the size 3 ball is to gradually transition players to using big rugby balls.
Size 4
Usually used by players between the ages of 9 and 15, size 4 rugby balls are just under 11 inches in length. Like the size 3 balls, the purpose is to gradually grow the players into playing with full-size rugby balls.
Size 5
These full-sized rugby balls are used for all senior rugby matches, including internationals. These balls are between 11 and 12 inches long, with a circumference at the widest point of approximately 24 inches.
Size 10
A recent addition to rugby balls is the “giant”, exclusively meant to be a promotional gift. These balls are not used in official matches, but groups of friends can be seen taking each other on in social matches using these balls.
The Material The Rugby Ball Is Made Of
Rugby balls were originally made of leather, with a real inflated pig’s bladder inside. As leather tends to absorb water, which can cause the ball to get heavy and even lose shape, the use of leather for rugby balls was discontinued.
Some manufacturers still offer leather rugby balls for sale on the market. Still, these are generally used as memorabilia or collectors’ items.
As rugby is a winter sport and is often played in the rain, the water resistance of the balls is critical. The modern rugby ball is made using a rubber bladder and four panels consisting of a mix of natural and synthetic rubber.
The stitching of the four panels of the rugby balls is specially treated to make it more water resistant, reducing the risk of the ball absorbing moisture.
The rubber used for practice balls usually has a higher synthetic rubber content, making the balls more durable. The panels have a higher percentage of natural rubber for match balls, making the ball easier to grip.
The modern rugby ball no longer has an inflated pig’s bladder inside but a rubber tube with a valve to inflate the ball.
The Brand Of Rugby Ball
There are many different rugby ball brands available on the market. Not all brands manufacture good quality rugby balls, but here are some of the most popular rugby ball brands:
Gilbert
The most popular brand of rugby ball available. Gilbert is the ball of choice of World Rugby and most of the world’s top rugby-playing nations.
Gilbert manufactures a wide range of rugby balls of all sizes and types, from cheaper beach rugby balls to top-quality test balls. Gilbert rugby balls have been used in the Rugby World Cup and are by far our brand of choice!
VIEW ALL GILBERT RUGBY BALL DEALS HERE
Lusum
Another manufacturer of good quality rugby balls. Lusum supplies quality balls at a lower price. Although they don’t offer as extensive a range of rugby balls as Gilbert, Lusum balls are often used by clubs and schools.
Mitre
Manufacturing quality rugby balls for many decades, Mitre is an established rugby ball manufacturer. Although their range is smaller than Gilbert’s, the Mitre Sabre Rugby Training Ball is considered one of the best training balls for schools and lower-league clubs.
My Personal Recommendation
It will probably come as no great surprise to read that I would only ever buy Gilbert rugby balls. They are the brand the pros use and you can get lower cost training balls and high end match balls all within their range.
I would then choose based on what your budget is and essentially buy the best ball(s) that you can.
VIEW ALL GILBERT RUGBY BALL DEALS HERE
Obviously, if you need ten balls for club training sessions then purchase the lower quality training balls, but I would recommend still having a supply of the high end match balls so that lineout throwers and kickers can get plenty of practice in with the right quality of ball.
Having said all that, the main thing is to get a ball and play with whatever quality you can afford!
Image Credits
Gilbert Rugby Union ball on green SpesBona, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
