Aoife Wafer gears up for Ireland's record-breaking Aviva return
Sunday is yet another historic day for women’s rugby in Ireland, and with the huge strides they’ve made over the years, there’s no player more at the centre of it than Aoife Wafer.
The number 8 has been at her blistering best once again this Championship, and with over 30,000 tickets already sold for Sunday’s clash, Wafer knows all too well the strides made to get to this position.
The women return to rugby HQ for the first time since 2014, when they Girls in Green faced Italy in front of a crowd of 6,000 following the Men’s Six Nations game against the same opposition. ‘I was a fan in the crowd for that 2014 game,’ Wafer recalled that day. ‘And now it’s kind of like that full circle moment of being able to be on the pitch myself.
Aoife Wafer of Ireland is tackled by Lleucu George. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
‘I don’t think it was “I would love to.” I think it was “I’m going to play here someday.” I think even my mam put up a photo of a big smiley head on me looking out onto the pitch. You’ve stalwarts of the game in the background.
‘The comment she put on it was: Aoife watching rugby at the Aviva Stadium and that kind of thing. And even my old club, Gorey RFC, had commented on it “Oh, that could be her in 10 years time.” It’s 12 years’ time now. But 10 years more or less to the day I got my first start against France in Le Mans.’
Those were heady days for the Girls in Green when they last played on Lansdowne Road. They faced Italy a year after they had won their first, and to date only, Grand Slam and that side inspired a young Wafer.
Siobhan Fleming leading Ireland out for the Women’s Six Nations Rugby Championship game against Italy at the Aviva Stadium. Pic: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE
‘I grew up watching the women playing in Ashbourne, playing in Donnybrook. To see it now in the Aviva Stadium is just amazing. I think it’s every kid’s dream to play in the Aviva and pull on a green jersey. It’s just so special.
‘That crowd that’s coming, Erin said it during the week, it’s going to be full of past players, present players, future players, and to have every one of those spur us on is something that’s incredible. I’m just buzzing for it.’
Wafer has had yet another outstanding campaign. After coming into the World Cup late through injury last autumn, the Wexford native has come flying into this campaign.
Aoife Wafer. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
She’s clearly been one of the best players in the competition and has made another mixtape of her best bits that any player would be jealous of.
Despite all the praise, Wafer is her own harshest critic, believing there is still levels to go for her.
‘Still a few things to chase. Bits of my game that I’ve not been fully happy with. I’m still getting after it, still working alongside the coaches very closely, and chasing a few things that, who knows, I might get out on the field this weekend.
‘Scays (James Scaysbrook, Ireland defence coach)and I sat down, and we looked at it, and we reckoned it was definitely a few percents that I’d left out. Whether it was defensively, bits that I can chase after again. I don’t think it was a complete performance for me at the weekend by any means. I’m just hungry to get going again and to get a few more percent better in my performance too.’
Wafer had another stellar performance on the weekend against Wales, capped off with two tries and a highlight play, as her ‘chicken wing’ offload after a carry from the scrum put Beibhinn Parsons in for Ireland’s second try of the day.
‘I know nowadays that people are drawn to the red scrum-cap and they just want to put in a shot,’ Wafer said on the play. ‘Beibhinn and I have played so much together now that it’s nearly like a sense that you can feel where she is on the pitch. And I knew as soon as I threw it, I was like, this is going to go one of two ways; Bei is either in the corner here or Jaz Joyce is going to run the length of the field.’
Aoife Wafer. Pic: Ben Brady/INPHO
Wafer knows that there’s still a big job at hand on Sunday. Ireland came into this Championship aiming for a minimum of three home wins, and they’ll reach that if victorious.
Scotland, however, will pose a real threat. ‘They’re a physical side,’ Wafer said. ‘They’ve obviously been hit with a lot of injuries, and I hope all of those girls are all right. I know myself, it’s not nice to miss games.
‘But yeah, they’re a great side, and I think that kind of youth coming through has really kind of been nurtured in the Celtic Challenge. They’ve grown as a side together throughout the tournament, too. And, yeah, there are a lot of areas that we think we can get after, and we can try to put the best of us out on the field. We can’t be complacent with Scotland either because they can punish teams from anywhere.’
