Photo via BBC Sport

Moloney-MacDonald says smaller ball 'challenging'

5 ball currently being tested across the WXV tournament. The ball retains standard size five weight while reducing volume by approximately three percent, a shift that the 33-year-old Exeter Chiefs hooker noted creates handling and accuracy issues during line-out deliveries, extended passing, and kicking routines, particularly in foul weather.

Reactions across the sport remain split, with England internationals Helena Rowland and May Campbell voicing similar unease following their team's triumph against Australia, contrasted by Welsh back Lisa Neumann praising its benefits for distribution.

Following a third-place showing in the Women's Six Nations, Scott Bemand's Ireland squad begins WXV action on Sunday afternoon against the United States at Tallaght Stadium before playing Japan in Cork and Galway, with subsequent fixtures scheduled in South Africa. Moloney-MacDonald, a former Wasps player, additionally endorsed the concept of introducing an Irish franchise into England's Premiership Women's Rugby alongside the existing Celtic Challenge, noting the elevated competition would benefit players despite the logistical strain of fortnightly travel.