Just a jack. In Petanque it is all about this item

We are going to start this series looking at Petanque with a microscope. Petanque is a boule and target game and we will begin with the rules concerning the jack and over the next few days will reveal several surprises. Let us look at one of the rules regarding the target.

Article 3, Approved jacks

Jacks are made of wood, or of a synthetic material bearing the manufacturer’s mark and having obtained the FIPJP’s approval in line with the precise specification relating to the required standards. Their diameter must be 30 mm (tolerance: + or –1 mm). Their weight must be between 10 and 18 grams. Painted jacks are authorised, but at no time must they, nor the jacks made of wood, be capable of being picked up with a magnet.

​Well a regulation size and weight. Not only are there limits on the size and weight of petanque boule but there follows a similar rule on the jack!

Its all in a name. Who would have thought a name of a main focus in the sport of petanque could be so problematic. Coche, Jack, La Cochonnet, But, Pea and even Rabbit have been used to describe the target in a game of petanque. On our travels we have noticed the jack is called different names in different regions of the country.  The word cochonnet is a French children’s word meaning piggy. I guess it can be a little pig sometimes and certainly when it pings onto an opposition boule it can be called a few other words!  All wooden jacks of a regulation standard are made in boxwood. A very hard dense wood that takes a lot of work to turn it ( sic ) into a specific size. I have seen one break in half during a game but most survive a great deal of abuse. Various colours are available and some show up better than others in certain lights so worth having a variation of colours in your petanque equipment.