WXV Global Series: Ireland’s Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald says smaller ball ‘challenging’

Ireland hooker Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald admits she has found the smaller ball being trialled in women’s rugby “challenging” in the build-up to Sunday’s game against the United States.

World Rugby is trialling a size 4.5 ball – about 3% smaller than the size five used in the men’s game, but the same weight – during September and October’s WXV Global Series.

England players May Campbell and Helena Rowland raised concerns before the Red Roses’ win over Australia last week, while Wales wing Lisa Neumann spoke positively about the impact it has had on her passing.

“It is different, I’m not going to lie. It’s probably a bit frustrating to have to deal with it in a competition at this level, like Test matches,” said Moloney-MacDonald.

“It is a bit of a transition period, particularly because we don’t use it in the domestic game.

“It doesn’t hold as true as the size five ball would I’d say and maybe, I’m no expert, but I don’t know if the technology in terms of developing it has gone in as much as previous balls that we’d use in Six Nations windows for example.”

Moloney-MacDonald, who as a hooker will be responsible for throwing the ball in at line-outs, also expects to encounter difficulties while playing in bad weather.

“I am finding it a bit challenging, particularly in windy and rainy conditions, I think it will be a little bit more difficult to control,” added the 33-year-old.

“It definitely has a finer sweet spot I guess. I think a few people have mentioned that.

“I’ve heard kickers saying it can die off at the end of kicks and at the end of long range passes, it can die off or be taken by the wind. It is what it is and we will give our feedback in due course and that’ll be the process we have to follow.”