Smaller Ball Trial Divides England Players Before WXV Series

England players have offered sharply different assessments of the smaller rugby ball that will be used during the WXV Global Series in September and October. BBC Sport reported that World Rugby is trialling a size 4.5 ball, roughly 3% smaller than the standard size five but carrying the same weight, across the elite women's international competition.

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England fly-half Helena Rowland said the adjustment has created a larger margin for error in her kicking. After about 13 years of training with a size-five ball, she said adapting established routines within a four- or five-week period was difficult. Rowland also reported that some passes have dropped earlier than players expected and said she had not yet identified a positive effect on her own role.

Hooker May Campbell raised a separate concern about line-out throwing, saying deliveries can go off line with the new ball. Campbell and Rowland also described noticeable differences in shape between balls used during recent training sessions. According to Campbell, the squad experimented with inflation levels, while Rowland said newer balls felt markedly different from those England had used over the previous three weeks.

The response has not been uniformly negative. BBC Sport reported that Wales wing Lisa Neumann believes the smaller ball has improved her grip and passing. World Rugby's rationale is that dimensions better matched to women's physiology could help handling and skill execution. The ball has previously been tested in the women's Under-18 and Under-20 Six Nations and on the HSBC Sevens Series.

World Rugby told BBC Sport that players, coaches and match officials involved in the WXV Global Series will be surveyed, with their views given equal weight. The governing body said it does not yet have directly comparable international 15-a-side data because the ball has not been used in that environment. It plans to publish results after gathering sufficient feedback and game data.

England head coach John Mitchell said it was too early to assess the impact, with the world champions due to play Australia, Canada and New Zealand in their opening three Tests. World Rugby expects analysis of the completed WXV tournaments in early 2027. Until then, the trial remains an evidence-gathering exercise, and players will return to size-five balls for their club league seasons.