Rugby Special Report: Oval Ball Matters
It’s the ball that matters. Ball, the most tremendous and sufficient element of the world of sport which goes through human tortures like getting kicked, thrown, hit, squeezed, dribbled, pot and God knows what not we do with it. It has always been considered and though as a round shaped object.
However, the ball that stands out of them all is the Rugby Ball. Rugby a game derived from football in early 19th century was firstly played at schools and universities only. It became famous with time due to the freedom of movement and control on ball in rugby as compared to football.
Rugby ball isn’t a random production; it has a history behind it. Majority people who play this game don’t know the whereabouts of this masterpiece, which has the ability to glide through air piercing every bit of opposing force on its pointed face. It was hand stitched by William Gilbert and Richard Lindon with a four panel, leather casing and pig’s bladders back in early 19th century. It is the shape of pig’s bladder due which rugby ball has a unique design and a distinguishing oval shape. The only imperfection was the size of the balls at that time as the size of pig’s bladder varied. Another major issue at that time was to blow up the ball as it had a stinking smell. Lindon’s wife used to do it back then but she was reported to be dead of lung cancer. It was then when Richard Lindon introduced Indian rubber bladder inner tubes. And it is due to this change the shape of the ball was altered from sphere to the shape we know today.
Even after Lindon’s efforts and his claim to be the inventor of rugby ball he wasn’t credited because there were other companies making the same ball by then. Gilbert was one of the most famous rugby ball makers and is the most famous rugby brand now.
In rugby union, according to the International Rugby Board an official rugby union ball should have further perimeters. An oval shape and must be made of four panels. The length decided in-line of 280–300 millimetres, a circumference of 740–770 millimetres from end to end, and a circumference (in width) of 580–620 millimetres. Rugby ball must be made of leather or appropriate artificial material, and should be water resistant and easier to grip. The rugby ball should not weigh more than 460 grams or less than 410 and should have an air pressure of 65.71–68.75 kilopascals, or 0.67–0.70 kilograms per square centimetre, or 9.5–10.0 lbs per square inch. All these technicalities and complex measuring complete and blend in together to produce that one oval that turns heads and is a hope for nations. As any rugby lover would say, ‘Oval is the new circle’, this game demands loyalty and aggressiveness both to overcome the opponent and secure this ball and land it beyond the enemy’s territory.
Legends have been made and history has been written, unforgettable matches have been played and lost. All this happened just to chase one ball and take it to where it’s destined to. Players all around the world give whatever is required to fulfill the task of securing the ball and creating making magic with it. Rugby is considered as a game of ‘Man of steel’. It indeed is the most tiring and difficult game on this planet and the rugby ball has a history and repute. Egg has been replaced by rugby ball in nursery books, as it is the new oval for the kindergarten kids.
Although a bit boring as it might seem but it’s important to know about the sport that reminds us of great warriors and an old conflict of ‘muscle over mind or mind over muscle’. Rugby has earned its respect with time and is surely become a game of a determined and focused gentlemen.
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