<P> A rugby ball is an elongated ellipsoidal ball used in rugby football . </P> <P> Richard Lindon and Bernardo Solano started making balls for Rugby school out of hand stitched, leather casings and pigs' bladders . The rugby ball's distinctive shape is supposedly due to the pig's bladder, although early balls were more plum - shape than oval . The balls varied in size in the beginning depending upon how large the pig's bladder was . </P> <P> Until 1870, rugby was played with a near spherical ball with an inner - tube made of a pig's bladder . In 1870 Richard Lindon introduced rubber inner - tubes and because of the pliability of rubber the shape gradually changed from a sphere to an egg . In 1892 the RFU endorsed ovalness as the compulsory shape . The gradual flattening of the ball continued over the years . The introduction of synthetic footballs over the traditional leather balls, in both rugby codes, was originally governed by weather conditions . If the playing surface was wet, the synthetic ball was used, as it didn't absorb water and become heavy . Eventually, the leather balls were phased out completely . </P> <P> The rugby ball used in rugby union is a prolate spheroid essentially elliptical in profile . Traditionally made of brown leather, modern footballs are manufactured in a variety of colors and patterns . A regulation football is 28--30 cm (11--12 in) long and 58--62 cm (23--24 in) in circumference at its widest point . It weighs 410--460 g (14--16 oz) and is inflated to 65.7--68.8 kPa (9.5--10.0 psi). </P>

Where did the shape of a rugby ball come from
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