Really well-researched take on a genuinely complicated conversation. The data comparison across sports alone makes this worth reading twice. Great read!
Great article Jesc. Having seen a number of highly entertaining matches at the recent World Cup (with you) I just can’t fathom what problems exist that changes to the ball size will fix.
Can't disagree with that comment, although I'm unconvinced by the financial arguments; most clubs I know give sets of balls to (and solely for) each team, be they seniors or age-grade. Introducing a different ball size changes the annual ordering process, but not the costs (development teams would clearly need an exclusion clause)...
Being devil's advocate, one could also argue the same should apply to age-grade rugby? And who doesn't want to see an 8-year old with a size 5 ball 🤣
I think for me, it's more about the visuals of making a (perhaps) unnecessary change just when the women's game is starting to get the global traction it deserves... added to the age-old question of whether the players are actually going to get a say, or whether it will be a decision made in a committee. Probably consisting of mostly men!
Really well-researched take on a genuinely complicated conversation. The data comparison across sports alone makes this worth reading twice. Great read!
Great article Jesc. Having seen a number of highly entertaining matches at the recent World Cup (with you) I just can’t fathom what problems exist that changes to the ball size will fix.
Can't disagree with that comment, although I'm unconvinced by the financial arguments; most clubs I know give sets of balls to (and solely for) each team, be they seniors or age-grade. Introducing a different ball size changes the annual ordering process, but not the costs (development teams would clearly need an exclusion clause)...
Being devil's advocate, one could also argue the same should apply to age-grade rugby? And who doesn't want to see an 8-year old with a size 5 ball 🤣
I think for me, it's more about the visuals of making a (perhaps) unnecessary change just when the women's game is starting to get the global traction it deserves... added to the age-old question of whether the players are actually going to get a say, or whether it will be a decision made in a committee. Probably consisting of mostly men!