Tonga Rugby League Ball - Extended Edition

After a muddy one

1. 1Wipe the mud off with a damp cloth before it dries. Dried grit grinds into the surface (and the design) next session.
2. 2Stubborn dirt: cool water, a drop of mild soap, soft cloth. No solvents, no scourers.
3. 3Towel it dry. Never dry it against a heater.

Pressure and storage

1. 1Keep it around 9.5–10 psi: firm with just a little give under two thumbs. Over-pumped balls split seams; flat ones crease.
2. 2Wet the pump needle before it goes in. A dry needle is how valves get torn.
3. 3Top it up rather than letting it sit flat. A ball stored empty creases and never bounces true again.
4. 4Hot cars and direct sun are the killers. Heat pushes the pressure up and cooks the glue. A car boot in summer can finish a ball in an afternoon.
5. 5It is a ball, not a chair. Sitting or standing on it warps the shape and stresses the seams.