Rugby ball
All about the rugby ball. Including dimensions, pressure, weight and how to hold the ball and handle well so you catch, pass and kick the ball skillfully and confidently.
All about the rugby ball
Rugby ball
Make it bounce your way!
I know - It's oval, it bounces strangely, it's unpredictable - or is it?
You can tame it!
If you can, get your own good quality ball because it should
- feel better
- look better
- last longer
- be more enjoyable to play with
- be more like the balls in games
Information about the ball.
Just scroll down or Select a topic...
- Better ball skills - play about
- How you run with the ball
- Experiment with different passes and kicks
- Have a ball, learn the sidestep
Rugby balls have official dimensions
You`ll find all the Official details at IRB Rugby ball
- length 280 - 300 mm
- circumference, long way round 740 - 770 mm
- circumference, short way round 580 - 620 mm
- weight 410 - 460 gms
- the air pressure in the ball at the start of the game must be in range 0.67 - 0.70 kg/sq cm or 9.5 - 10.0 lbs/sq inch
Smaller balls may be used by young players.
Experiment with the amount of air in it when you are able to measure the pressure in the ball.
I have a neat little ball pressure gauge with a needle attached that helps me do this (see picture above).
You'll have enough experience to be able to tell if a ball is at the right pressure even when you can't measure it.
Here's why it's useful to know
- too soft - hard to catch, too bouncy
- too soft - hard to kick, foot sinks into the ball, can't kick as far
- just right - easy catching, passing and control
- just right - easy kicking, rebounds well from your foot
- too hard - hard to catch, can damage fingers
- too hard - too much like kicking a brick, poor rebound from foot
Keep hold of the rugby ball, handle well
To win you must score points, so you must have the ball. It`s valuable in rugby games.
Once you get hold of it, treasure possession!
Improve your ability to keep hold of it.
The more you handle the ball the more you`ll find you are confident.
You`ll find loads about how to hold the ball at rugby handling.
How to improve your ball control
Make sure you are confident taking possession of the ball and holding on to it.
When you handle well you`ll find it easier to catch, pass and kick.
Watch this video because it`ll help you practice your handling skills.
Have a look at a one person rugby handling class.
After that improve your handling with some of these ideas...
- carry it around at home
- outside, throw it from hand to hand...practice a normal pass
- throw it in the air and catch it - ready for catching the high ball
- throw in the air with one hand, catch with the other
- hold the ball and do stretching and bending exercises
- run with it
- run with it and move it from one arm to the other
- run with it, throw it up in front and run on to catch it (you would not normally throw forwards but this gives some experience catching the ball while running).
Better rugby ball skills - play about
Yes, it's a bit unpredicatable, but you`ll improve your ball skills when you avoid being annoyed and have fun with the ball.
You can be like rugby players who control the ball, make the ball do what you want.
They weren't born skillful.
They find out what to do, then practice. Isn`t that what you do?
They might not call it practice so don't you.
They may just say they "play about" a lot to see what the ball does in different situations.
How you run with the ball
When you run with the ball during a game you run at different speeds. You run at top speed to get around opponents or when you are in the clear, racing for the try line.
In this type of situation you hold the ball in the arm farthest away from your opponent. It`s important that you remain balanced and hold the ball securely so I recommend the one arm carry.
At other times when you carry the ball you want to keep your options open and keep the opposition guessing about what you`re going to do with the ball.
If you have the ball tucked up tightly in one arm it`s not too hard to guess you are going to run with it rather than pass. If you carry the ball in two hands you can swiftly pass in any direction, kick, dummy or change pace. For these situations use the two hand carry.
Experiment with different passes and kicks
Maybe you can catch well already. If not, vist rugby catching basics.
You pass and kick in different ways. Find out how to make it spin in the air, how to make it roll on the ground.Rugby passing basics may help you make good accurate passes.
You can find out about spinning the ball at spiral-pass-or-spin-pass
For how to place the ball when you kick, look at rugby kicking basics.
You learn a lot when you experiment and you remember.
Roll the ball evenly on the ground, by hand at first.
Then do the
rolling grubber kick
so it is easily grounded to score a try.
Avoid throwing the ball in the air when you kick. Place it accurately onto your foot and you will kick well and get good results.
Then you can go on to the different kicks and how you do them all well. Look for "rugby kicking" in the menu, if that`s what you want.Rugby - have a ball, learn the sidestep
It`s great fun when you play with a rugby ball. Do it a lot and you build valuable experience so you can be confident you will put it all together on the field!
Remember... the most exciting thing you can do when you get hold of the ball is to sidestep!
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