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The football is round, the volleyball is round, the cricket ball is round, the rugby ball is.. oh wait! It’s an egg.. Why do they even call it a ball? The huge men in huge rugby shirts are dealing with a little egg shaped ball. Why can’t it be round like a normal ball? Have you ever asked yourself the same question? Or have you just ignored thinking, that's just the way some things are? They say a boy called William Webb Ellis found rugby by accident. He’s known as the boy who brought rugby to the world. At the age of 16, still while at school, this boy decided to take a football by hand run while practicing. No one knows for sure whether he had rugby in mind or not, because he died way before anyone could ask the question back in 1872. The reason why the rugby ball is oval is that it was first made with pig’s bladders. The ancient rugby balls therefore were a bit larger and rounder than today. They say the shape eventually became elongated because many felt that it was best suited for all the kicking and running. Blowing the pig's bladder into the shape of a rugby ball was considered a very dirty job. There were only a handful of volunteers. James Gilbert, Webbs nephew started producing these balls and said to have had very powerful lungs because he made very tight and big rugby balls. Nowadays, to buy a rugby kit we need not put more effort than to travel a few miles to the local sports store. There are so many things, rugby jerseys, Head guards, rucking pads, track suits, you name it! The rugby balls nowadays are made with high tech materials and are designed with great precision. The aerodynamics, the grip, the shape and everything are perfectly designed to optimize the game performance. There’s very less history about the game but it sure has become one the most played games on Earth. The history of the ball is a bit porkie but for what it’s worth, there are millions of fans around the world to cheer when the huge men run after this oval ball. It sure is hard game but very interesting to watch.
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