Rhino Match Balls - Pure Junk

boredatwork82 · 13-09-2015 8:50pm #1

So we are nearly back into full swing, and my over riding thought so far on the season is that the Rhino balls are terrible.
They are like cheap balls you buy in a petrol station or a centra.

We were given 2 or them that had to be used as match balls by the leinster branch.
They are really light, and have pretty much zero grip.

Surely the balls that get used in the Pro 12 are better quality than the ones they expect us to use in the Leinster League ( I would imagine its the same in the other provinces).

I was chatting about this issue with a mate of mine who deals in rugby equipment, he was telling that Rhino balls, are within the specified weight for match balls, but that they are at the very low end of that.

Does anyone else think the rhino balls are pure junk, or is it just me?

I will be escalating this through my branch rep, but also directly myself.

Bring back Gilbert, thats what I say.

By the way, I am a player/coach, not an arm chair supporter. Not sure how many active players (rugby seems to be a spectator sport now!) there are on this forum to provide some thoughts on it, but its worth a try.

Ceadog · 13-09-2015 9:42pm

Haven't played in a few years but I remember very clearly just how bad those balls were. Surprised they're used at any decent level, someone must be making money off of them.

boredatwork82 · 13-09-2015 9:49pm

Ceadog wrote: »

Haven't played in a few years but I remember very clearly just how bad those balls were. Surprised they're used at any decent level, someone must be making money off of them.

Unfortunately thats the way rugby is gone, its all about the money now :mad:

Squidgy Black · 13-09-2015 10:17pm

We were given two of them for the college team, couldn't stand them.

Replaced them with Gilbert Barbarians, much better option.

sydthebeat · 13-09-2015 10:24pm

We've been told from on high that only rhino balls are to be used in our games at youths levels.

Nialler15 · 13-09-2015 11:15pm

Couldnt agree more. Some of the Rhino junk that the branch pass down to clubs is embarrassing. They are grand fro kids training sessions but to ask adult players to play with them shows exactly what the branch think of us.

I am a player/coach myself and also goal kicker. Kicking with them is a whole new level of bad too. The Gilbert Synergy match ball was by far the best ball.Expensive but money well spent.

.ak · 14-09-2015 3:48am

Yeah I preferred Gilbert's, but we knew the rhinos would be the branch standard so we made sure we were using them over the summer. Like anything you get used to it. But I do find them way too light. On a windy day the passing is shocking.

boredatwork82 · 14-09-2015 8:14pm

Just an update. Apparently the refs have not been told to enforce playing with rhino balls.

I contacted someone in world rugby and apparently the official spec weight for a match ball is between 410g and 450g. I am going to weigh the rhino balls and see how they fare.

Losty Dublin · 14-09-2015 9:47pm

boredatwork82 wrote: »

Just an update. Apparently the refs have not been told to enforce playing with rhino balls.
.

No edict about using specific brands of balls has ever been issued to ARLB referees.

Yeah_Right · 15-09-2015 12:53pm

Too light! No grip! Go back to the old leather balls with the laces. The ones that weighed a tonne when they got wet and the grip was non-existent. Then complain about crappy balls.

sydthebeat · 15-09-2015 1:00pm

^^ yeah_right

ArmchairQB · 15-09-2015 8:47pm

Rhino balls must be used in any games that come under the remit of the Leinster Branch and failure to do so if reported can lead to possible points deductions or reversal of result. They are way to light and our lads don't like them at all.

Gilbert Barbarian balls are the official ball of all IRFU competitions and same applies.

Those are the official rules whether they get enforced is another thing

locum-motion · 15-09-2015 9:14pm

Losty Dublin wrote: »

No edict about using specific brands of balls has ever been issued to ARLB referees.

ArmchairQB wrote: »

Rhino balls must be used in any games that come under the remit of the Leinster Branch and failure to do so if reported can lead to possible points deductions or reversal of result. They are way to light and our lads don't like them at all.

Gilbert Barbarian balls are the official ball of all IRFU competitions and same applies.

Those are the official rules whether they get enforced is another thing

These two posters are quite evidently confident of the truth of what they say.
However, they cannot both be true.

Can one, other or both of you substantiate your assertions, please?

Losty Dublin · 15-09-2015 9:39pm

locum-motion wrote: »

These two posters are quite evidently confident of the truth of what they say.
However, they cannot both be true.

Can one, other or both of you substantiate your assertions, please?

Not to say that Rhino aren't official ball supplier to the branch but.....

ARLB members get several e mails from the head office a week, on all matters from law clarifications to competition regulations, law changes, referee meetings, protocol on many issues and the divil knows what. I've 47 of them sitting in my in-box (Am a divil for saving these, just in case.) and there isn't any mention of what balls are/aren't to be used. I don't ever remember any such e mail ever coming in either and if it did I'd have kept same.

Also, this from 2014/15 shows no mention of Rhino being an official ball provider to the Leinster Branch. Granted it's not specifically for this season but it's a good reference point.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/files/downloads/Competition_Regulations_-_September_2014_(with_amendments_in_red).pdf

Or on here.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/files/downloads/ClubandSchoolMediaGuidelinesWeb.pdf

Or here.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/files/downloads/LeinsterHandbookfullweb-2014.pdf

In fairness to the poster who's contrary to me there is this which he may be thinking off.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/news/12113.php#.VfiPVukwwS4

In conclusion, if it's in for all Branch games then it's news to me. Even if it was, it's nigh impossible to enforce.

.ak · 15-09-2015 9:47pm

From what I'm told the AIL standard ball is going to be the rhino ball... Is the pro12 ball a rhino ball? Might have something to do with that.

Squidgy Black · 15-09-2015 10:10pm

.ak wrote: »

From what I'm told the AIL standard ball is going to be the rhino ball... Is the pro12 ball a rhino ball? Might have something to do with that.

Yeah the pro12 balls are the rhino vortex elite.

I think the ones the branch are giving out are just standard vortex ones.

ArmchairQB · 16-09-2015 1:05pm

locum-motion wrote: »

These two posters are quite evidently confident of the truth of what they say.
However, they cannot both be true.

Can one, other or both of you substantiate your assertions, please?

If you check with your club hon sec they will have received mails re both earlier in the season both statements I posted are correct, not up to refs to enforce but either team can make a complaint to the ref and ask him to note it in his match report

Thud · 17-09-2015 11:33am

was similar with the Puma balls (black and white checkered crap)a few season back, used them for first few matches, lost/wore them out and replaced with gilberts

GavMan · 17-09-2015 3:52pm

ArmchairQB wrote: »

If you check with your club hon sec they will have received mails re both earlier in the season both statements I posted are correct, not up to refs to enforce but either team can make a complaint to the ref and ask him to note it in his match report

If you could get a copy of those mails and post them, that would be appreciated.

The following line would make you think that only Rhino balls should be used in Leinster Club and School comps:

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/news/12113.php#.Vfrg2xFVhBd

Leinster Rugby have this morning announced a sponsorship agreement with Rhino Rugby to become Official Ball and Equipment Supplier to Leinster Rugby's domestic school and club competitions.

Note the date is June 2014 on the above presser.

However, the competition regulations for the 2014/15 season don't even make reference to the word ball, much less points deductions or any of that whoohaa.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/files/downloads/Competition_Regulations_-_September_2014_(with_amendments_in_red).pdf

locum-motion · 17-09-2015 8:47pm

ArmchairQB wrote: »

If you check with your club hon sec...

It's not up to ME to prove the truth of what you said, it's up to you!

sydthebeat · 17-09-2015 9:06pm

a circular from april 29th

RHINO BALLS – 2015-16

Leinster Rugby is delighted to announce the continuation of its partnership with Rhino whereby Rhino balls will continue to be the official balls used in all Leinster Rugby club and school competitions in 2015-16.

Attached is the 2015-16 price list for Rhino Balls.

Please contact the following to order your balls:

Rhino Match Balls - Pure Junk

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