In the sport of rugby, the size and shape of the_ball is determined by the International Rugby Board (IRB), under Law 2. According to the law, the ball should be oval and made of four panels, should have a length in-line of 280-300 mm, a circumference end to end of 740-770 mm and a circumference in width of 580-620 mm. The ball_should be made of leather or a suitable synthetic material and may be treated to make it water resistant and easier to grip. The ball should weigh in between 410-460 g and should have an air pressure of 0.67-0.70 kg/sq cm. Games between younger players can be played with smaller sized balls.

There are two basic types of rugby_balls - match balls and practice_balls. The type of material and quality of the_ball determines which is which. Size 5 rugby_balls are used in adult leagues and by high school teams. Players aged 8-12 years generally use a size 4 ball, and 3-7 year olds who play rugby do so with size 3 rugby balls. Rugby_balls can be plain and generic in appearance, or brightly coloured with team logos or a custom design. Match balls have better flight characteristics than practice balls and are usually made of higher quality materials and have precise symmetry allowing better grip than practice balls. Practice balls are more durable though, and best for practice matches, drills and throwing around. Practice balls are designed to endure rough treatment and frequent contact with all types of fields. Rugby balls are made of different materials - synthetic rugby balls are made for top quality, polyurethane are for good practice balls, and PVC is used for the cheapest practice balls and are used by youth teams and casual rugby players.

When inflating rugby_balls, care needs to be taken when inserting the inflation needle into the_ball to ensure that the valve and bladder are not damaged. The pressure of the ball affects the performance and durability of the ball, therefore pressure should be checked regularly. Avoid over inflating the balls as too much pressure will damage them. Also, if the ball gets wet during play, it should be dried in an airy place and not force dried with heat as this may cause damage to the ball. There are many excellent brands of rugby balls in the market - these include Puma, Nike, Adidas and Gilbert.