England drop goal hero George Ford has said it is ‘different’ and Ireland head coach Andy Farrell believes it has contributed to more mistakes in the opening round of matches in France.
But what’s really going on with the use of the ball at the World Cup?
Ford scored all 27 points in England’s 14-man win over Argentina and one of his three drop goals came from the halfway line. Obviously, players can kick the ball further than normal.
But that has to do with the atmospheric conditions in France and not with significant changes in the ball used.
Ford is technically right when he says it is different to the one used in English club rugby last season. But the 2023 World Cup ball – which was unveiled exactly two years before last Friday night’s opening match between the hosts and New Zealand – is exactly the same in weight and circumference as what has been used internationally since 2022.
Gilbert has been the ball supplier of the World Cup since 1995 and the 2023 product is the iNNOVO
The same ball used in France will also be seen in the Gallagher Premiership in the coming campaign.
The appearance of the World Cup ball is slightly different, as normal Gilbert balls have an elliptical design.
Instead, the World Cup version has mobius branding which makes it appear slightly rounder. It also features images of all 10 French host cities.
Ford is also right about the impact of the weather. Temperatures in France have been consistently around 30 degrees for the past ten days and the heat and humidity ensure that the balls travel further.
“The temperature makes a huge difference,” Ford said after putting the boot in the Pumas.
George Ford scored all 27 points as England defeated Argentina in their World Cup opener
“They do seem to travel a lot faster and they go a lot further.”
Gilbert has been the World Cup ball supplier for every tournament since 1995.
The surface of their 2023 product – officially called the iNNOVO match ball – is grippy to help players handle it as best as possible. It includes a dual valve system designed to help implement rugby’s new Sportable technology.
But France’s current scorching heat has seen a number of players drop balls after sweat made it slippery. Argentina made numerous mistakes against England.
“This is what people don’t understand but should do,” said Farrell, after his Ireland team impressed with their driving in a 12-way demolition of Romania.
England drop-goal hero Ford has acknowledged the new ball is ‘different’
‘When you participate in a World Cup, it is a new tournament and you get new balls. There is a film on it and it is difficult to handle under normal conditions.
“But when you play in temperatures like that, mistakes are going to happen. There were people who spilled the ball, but they normally don’t spill the ball.”
It’s likely that as temperatures drop as the World Cup progresses, you’ll see the balls not being kicked as far or as fast.
But the warm weather will continue for the second round of the pool matches.
England and Wales face Japan and Portugal respectively this weekend in Nice, where temperatures are expected to reach 25 degrees in the coming days.