According to BBC Sport, Zoe Harrison described the introduction of smaller balls as 'the worst decision someone has ever made'. Harrison, 28, has not kicked a ball smaller than size five since the age of 14. She has landed all 15 kicks in the current Women's Six Nations.
5 ball is about 3% smaller but the same weight as a regulation size five. World Rugby trialled the ball with top-tier Sevens players in November and announced last month it would be used in the WXV. The aim is to make equipment proportionate to women's hands, which are about 10-15% smaller than men's, promoting accuracy and fewer handling errors.
It's the worst decision that someone has ever made.
Other sports have made similar accommodations, such as lower sprint hurdles and lighter basketballs. Critics say the smaller ball may damage the image of the women's game and increase costs for grassroots clubs. World Rugby has tweaked the trial after a lighter version used in the 2024 Under-18 Six Nations raised kickers' concerns.
According to BBC Sport, Mark Harrington, World Rugby's chief player welfare and rugby services officer, said they will carefully take stock of player feedback, injury surveillance and shape of the game data from the WXV Global Series. England will face Canada three times as part of the new showcase, and also have home fixtures against Australia and New Zealand.
I've not kicked any less than a size five since I was the age of 14.
There is not the same amount of surface area for you to wrap your foot around.
Along with the sevens players, we'll carefully take stock of player feedback, injury surveillance and shape of the game data from the WXV Global Series.
From there, together with the wider women's game, we'll assess the findings and look at where we go next.
I mean it's good that it's happened, but... I don't know, it's my job.
I put the ball down, line it up, take a couple of steps back and just kick the ball.
That might seem really unserious, but that is just the way it has worked until now.