Aoife Wafer
| Date of birth | 25 March 2003[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Ballygarrett, County Wexford, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Aoife Wafer (born 25 March 2003) is an Irish rugby union player.
Early life
[edit]From Ballygarrett, County Wexford, she started playing rugby with the boys’ team at Gorey RFC at the age of six, and played through the age groups until Under-12, when she couldn’t play with them any longer and had to switch to the girls’ Under-15 team. Initially a scrum half, she later moved to Enniscorthy RFC at Under-16 level in 2018 and transitioned to the back-row.[2][3][4]
Career
[edit]She played for Blackrock College and Leinster Rugby, and became Ireland captain at Under-18 level. She was also invited into the Ireland sevens programme straight after her Leaving Certificate. Wafer earned her first Ireland cap in a 29-8 win against Italy in the 2022 Women's Six Nations Championship in Musgrave Park. However, due to injury her second appearance for the national senior side didn’t arrive until October 2023, when she came off the bench in the 53rd minute in a 15-13 victory over Spain in Dubai.[2]
She made her first Ireland start in the 2024 Women's Six Nations Championship.[5] She scored a try against France in Le Mans and showed tactical flexibility switching from openside flanker to number eight for Ireland's attacking scrums.[6][7] Wafer was named Ireland’s player of the tournament as Ireland finished third in the championship to qualify for the 2025 World Cup.[8][9] During the tournament, Wafer's five line-breaks meant she made more than any non-English player, while her two tries ensured she finished as her country's second top try-scorer, behind Katie Corrigan and only Beibhinn Parsons gained more metres with ball in hand than Wafer.[10]
She was selected in the Ireland squad to compete at the WXV1 tournament in Canada in September 2024.[11] She scored twice as they beat New Zealand at the competition on 29 September 2024.[12]
Wafer was named in the World Dream Team at the 2024 World Rugby Awards in Monaco
Personal life
[edit]She is a University College Dublin physiotherapy student. Her younger sister Orla has played rugby for the Ireland Under-20s side.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Aoife Wafer". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ a b c Deveraux, Dave (20 February 2024). "Wexford rugby star Aoife Wafer ready to make up for lost time". Independent.ie. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ O'Brien, Brendan (20 April 2024). "Aoife Wafer determined to dance to her own tune in Twickenham". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Kissane, Sinnead (20 April 2024). "'Absolute powerhouse' Aoife Wafer tackles her biggest test yet in her breakout Six Nations for Ireland". Independent.ie. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ "'I was bit of a pest... I wanted to be out with the boys and I wanted to play'". the42. 20 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ O'Brien, Brendan (2 April 2024). "Ireland women need more numbers to add up in this Six Nations". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Glennon, Michael (2 April 2024). "Aoife Wafer display one of few positives for Ireland in loss to Italy". RTE.
- ^ Glennon, Michael (29 April 2024). "Olympic Sevens shot 'absolutely' available for Ireland stars". RTE. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Thomas, Martyn (15 April 2024). "Aoife Wafer: Ireland wanted to 'right wrongs' against Wales". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Mann, Mantej (29 April 2024). "Standout stars of this year's Women's Six Nations". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Kelly, David (17 September 2024). "Scott Bemand names 30-player Ireland squad for upcoming WXV1 campaign in Vancouver". Independent.ie. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
- ^ "Ireland stun world champions New Zealand in WXV1". BBC sport. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.