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Aoife Wafer signs for Premiership Women's Rugby side
In the same week as being named Women’s Six Nations Player of the Championship for 2025, it has been announced that Aoife Wafer has signed for Premiership Women’s Rugby side Harlequins.
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The 22-year-old has previously represented Leinster, as well as the Wolfhounds in the Celtic Challenge, where she helped the team to back-to-back titles. She earned her first Ireland cap during the 2022 Six Nations.
Due to injury, her second cap came during WXV 3 in 2023 when Ireland beat Spain in Dubai before she made her first start in the 2024 Six Nations.
In the same year as her first start, she was nominated for Women’s Six Nations Player of the Championship, scored twice in Ireland’s historic win against New Zealand in WXV 1, and was named in the World Rugby Dream Team.
A prolific try-scorer, now with 12 tries from 15 caps, Wafer said about her move to Harlequins: “The history that the Club is steeped in is something that really stood out to me.
“I’m really looking forward to being here and I can’t wait to get going. This league has all the star players in the world in it. I want to be the best player in the world, and I can’t wait to test myself out against those stars every week.
“I was very lucky to come over to a game a few months ago and meet some of the girls, and the family values were something that really stood out to me. That’s really important to me, and I know that my family will be well looked after over here as well.”
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“Hopefully what people have seen on the international stage is what they’ll get from me at Quins! I’m going to be working incredibly hard to be the best version of myself and hopefully that can really benefit the team, because at the end of the day, it’s not about me, it’s about the whole team.”
Harlequins had a resurgent 2024/25 season in the PWR under the guidance of new head coach Ross Chisholm, which saw them make it to the semi-finals.
Ahead of Wafer’s arrival after Rugby World Cup 2025, Chisholm said: “We saw Aoife break through on the international scene and saw that the way she plays the game really suits the brand of rugby we want to play here too. We’ve watched her on her journey over the last few years and seen the progression she has had. She’s announced herself as a real world-class operator.
“We want people here who are going to fit into our environment and also feel like they belong in it, and with Aoife, we feel like it’s a perfect fit. When we are looking at recruitment, we always look at how players will fit into the Harlequins DNA, and with Aoife, it’s clear that she really suits our style and the way we want to play. I’m delighted that she is going to be with us next season.”
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Having finished third in the past two Women’s Six Nations and second in WXV 1 last year, expectations are high for them in the Rugby World Cup, their first since 2017, in which they’ll play Japan, Spain, and defending champions New Zealand in the pool stage.
IRFU Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways Gillian McDarby added: “We’re pleased for Aoife as she takes this next step in her career with Harlequins, where she will have the opportunity to further her development in a high-performance environment.
“Her journey is a testament to the investment and progress within the Irish system, which continues to produce talent capable of performing at the highest level. We look forward to continuing to work with Aoife in green during the international windows.”
Wafer headlines a multitude of new signings for the London side, who have also added Scotland’s Coreen Grant and Fi McIntosh from Saracens to their ranks.
Lucy Burgess from Bristol Bears, young Scottish player Natasha Logan, who has represented Edinburgh in the Celtic Challenge and Edinburgh University in BUCS Super Rugby, Saracens’ Sophie Tansley, and Megan Barwick from Trailfinders will also bolster the side next season.
In addition, England Under-18 players Solana Shaw de Leon, Summer Charlesworth, and Joanne Vosakiwaiwai have been added as Senior Development Players.
New tickets for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 are now available, with prices starting at £10 for adults and £5 for children. Buy now!
This is a real statement of intent from Quins.
Next season they should be able to field a back row of Nicole Wythe, Alex Callender and Aoife Wafer - with Jade Konkel potentially a bench player rather than a starter. That combines two of the most powerful carriers in the women’s game with one of the best fetchers. It’ll be exciting to see what they can do.
It is a great signing and that is potentially a very good back row. Wythe and callender were excellent before injury struck this year, Wythe post world cup may well get in the england squad. Chuck in wafer and its very strong. I do worry about EQP though- we have signed past couple of seasons a lot of non english players-we are supposed to be an english team and we only have a small contingent of top english players.lots of scots,welsh,italian,safrican etc. I would like to see a couple more red roses players at the club. packer/kildunne were the only ones in the squad of 37 for the 6 nations. Every team that has ever won the league has a big contingent of red roses players.