Aoife Wafer

Aoife Wafer (born 25 March 2003) is an Irish rugby union player.

Early life
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.

Career
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.

She made her first Ireland start in the 2024 Women's Six Nations Championship. 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. Wafer was named Ireland’s player of the tournament as Ireland finished third in the championship to qualify for the 2025 World Cup. 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.

Personal life
A University College Dublin physiotherapy student, her younger sister Orla has played rugby for the Ireland Under-20s side.