Harlequins sign Ireland forward Wafer from Leinster

BBC News

22-05-2025

Harlequins have signed Ireland forward Aoife Wafer for the 2025-26 Premiership Women's Rugby season.Wafer, who was recently named the 2025 Women's Six Nations Player of the Championship, will join the club from Leinster after this year's World Cup, which will be held in England between 22 August and 27 September. "I think there comes a stage where you have to test yourself week in and week out against the best in the world," the 22-year-old told BBC Sport. "I can't wait to get involved into because they're just brave, physical and entertaining."Wafer, considered one of the best back-rowers in the world, will be joining an already stacked Harlequins roster which includes Scotland number eight Jade Konkel and Wales flanker Alex Callendar.But Wafer says the calibre of her new team-mates was one of most attractive aspects of the move. "This team is absolutely star-studded, especially in the back row," she added."I just can't wait to get in and learn from them and kind of try tease a few things out of their brain and make my game better as well. Hopefully I'll be able to help them too."
Conversations with the Harlequins head coach Ross Chisolm have centred around her playing six and eight."You look at the modern-day rugby player and people can play across a number of positions," said Chisolm. "Aoife is a high-quality player; she could probably play predominantly more six and eight but it could give us a nice balance to go 'I think today we need this and tomorrow we need that' it's going to be competitive."She is in my opinion right up there on the world stage of quality of player, the exciting thing is I still think there is room for growth. "Aoife is 22 years-old, it's crazy to think that she's able to output that ability at that age."
Ireland's back row crisis
Wafer announced her new club in a protective brace as a precaution following a minor leg injury at the end of the Six Nations.Her fitness has become increasingly significant for Ireland following injuries to back rowers Dorothy Wall and Erin King, who will both miss the World Cup. Wafer joked "it feels like the back row jerseys is cursed"."We'll really miss the girls," she said. "The physicality and the energy they bring on the field is something you just you can't get, they're key players for us. But I think it gives an opportunity to other people to really stand up and try kind of fight for a spot."We've plenty of other players who haven't quite got the chance to get to step up into that back row, so I think it'd be interesting come to the World Cup. But yeah, we'll definitely miss the girls."Ireland face Japan in their World Cup Pool C opener on 24 August before games against Spain on 31 August and holders New Zealand on 7 September.