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World Rugby considers smaller ball for women
World Rugby is collecting training and playing data on a smaller size 4.5 ball for the women's game.
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Good call IMO - I've often wondered why women don't use a size 4 ball (4.5, or "Touch" as it's otherwise known) is a move in the right direction, but unlikely to be far enough to overcome the difference in hand size : ball size ratio between men and women.
It would improve handling in the women's game massively (as anyone who's tried throwing around a size 4 ball will appreciate, and is why Touch rugby uses a size 4.5).
FTR, difference in average hand size is about 89%.
Difference in circumference (the important bit for handling, in terms of easy information) between a size 5 and a size 3 is 92%