Ball handling hasn't been an issue for the women's game with the same size ball as the men's.

The Black Ferns' most capped player, Anna Richards, doesn't think there is a statistical reason for women's rugby to use a smaller size ball then men, but says if a good case can be made for it she won't oppose it.

New South Wales Rugby boss Andrew Hore has opened up a debate by suggesting the Australian women's new competition, Super W, should use a smaller ball to ramp up excitement levels.

He said Rugby Australia should revisit ball sizes across the game, from grassroots to elite level, but suggested the women's game could benefit from going down a size, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

TOM SHAW/IRB Anna Richards is a World Rugby Hall of Famer.

Currently all age groups and formats use the largest ball, a size five, beyond the under-12s bracket.

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"Anatomically you're playing with a bigger ball made for 120 kilogram blokes," Hore said.

"These girls are phenomenal athletes but from a handling perspective maybe it's worth asking the question.

Speaking from Hong Kong, former first five Richards - a World Rugby Hall of Fame member - said any talk about women's rugby in the media is good for the game and she is not opposed to changing the size of the ball if it means improvement.

But she said there was no statistical evidence backing up Hore's ideas.

PHIL COLE/GETTY IMAGES Former Black Fern first-five Anna Richards supports positive change in the women's game as long as it's backed up with statistics.

"If you look at our passing in the last World Cup, passing wasn't a problem. I suppose they say the women's kicking game isn't quite as good as the guys, but making the ball smaller isn't going to make the ball go further is it."

"If they came up with a good reason to change it and they think it's going to improve the game and make it more skilful then fine. I think if they come up with a logical reason and it would improve the game then I am not going to stand in the way of improving the game."

The (Australian Rules) AFLW uses a ball two sizes smaller than the men's game and one size smaller than the VFL women's competition.

In rugby a change would be hard to rationalise as women's XVs and sevens rugby is played with a size five ball around the world in formats including the XVs World Cup, world sevens series and the Olympics, the SMH reported

Richards was a Black Fern from 1990 to 2010 and played with the same size ball as the men's game at the time.

Acknowledging that women's hand size is generally smaller than men's, Richards didn't believe there was evidence that women struggle in ball skills and handling.

"At this stage I don't see there being a logical reason why. If they could say our passing would improve because our hands are a different size then sure. I don't think there was a problem at all passing wise. Kicking is the main issue, all the scribes are saying it was the kicking skills that was lacking, but like I say a smaller ball ain't going to make that better."

Richards said decreasing the ball size by half a size could be a start, and there is no hard and fast rule to keep it that way.

She has recently finished coaching the Hong Kong women's sevens team and will return to New Zealand later this month.

"At least they are talking about women's rugby and at least it's in the media instead of not being in anything, that's a good thing. At least Australia are looking in some way to actually improve the game, so it's not a bad thing."

The 53-year-old said she was thrilled to hear the news the Black Ferns would now receive some pay for their hard work on the field from New Zealand Rugby and hoped this would bring more international games both home and abroad.

Wallaroos coach Dwayne Nestor said the ball size issue was a good talking point but would not necessarily lead to better rugby.

"It's a novel idea and great that the CEO of NSW Rugby is thinking about his women's rugby competition and that we're looking to be a bit innovative in what we do," Nestor said.

"I vary the size of the training balls we use all the time but I'll back our coaches to coach excellence in our handling skills and I'll back our players to play to execute with excellence too.

"Let's not lower our standard just because we can to make it more convenient."

- Stuff and SMH