Last year, 20 teams battled it out in the biggest rugby competition since 2015 – the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Introduced to international rugby in 2018, in preparation for the 2019 RWC, Gilbert launched the SIRIUS Match Ball.
Taking its name after the brightest star in the sky, visible from both the Southern and Northern hemispheres, the ball represents the coming together of the best rugby players from across the globe. Sirius is also the closest star from planet Earth, the 7th planet, representing the 7th generation of Gilbert RWC match balls.
It is undeniable that during the rugby season, players will take the pitch in extremely cold, wet conditions. When such moments arise, you need SIRIUS. SIRIUS comprises an improved grip pattern which includes two star shaped pimples of different heights to increase grip and aid water dispersion without compromising durability and aerodynamics. These represent the fact that the Sirius Star is made up of a main sequence star, Sirius A and a faint dwarf companion, Sirius B.
SIRIUS also presents a copolymer ‘air-loc’ bladder to ensure the ball remains inflated for the maximum amount of time possible.
