The terms “jack” and “coche” in petanque are interchangeable and both mean the same thing – it is the small wooden or plastic ball that boules are aimed at. Coche is a shortened version of cochenet, meaning “little pig” in French.
It is common for petanque players in the UK to refer to “the coche”, but the official term used in the EPA rules is jack.
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. 3 Their diameter must be 30mm (tolerance: + or – 1mm). Painted jacks are authorised, but at no time must the jack be capable of being picked up with a magnet.