Aoife Wafer ready to become world's best in PWR

Aoife Wafer wants to push herself to become the 'best in the world' when she joins Harlequins ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The Irish international has set the world alight last season, being named in the 2024 World Rugby Dream Team and helping her nation defeat the Black Ferns at WXV.

At only 22 years old, Wafer has the world at her feet and believes that a move to Premiership Women's Rugby, where she will learn from the best players on the planet, can catapult to even greater heights.

"It's quite public knowledge I want to be the best in the world, and to do that you have to test yourself against the best in the world," Wafer said.

"The PWR having so many stars of every nation is a huge factor in players coming over, and I can't wait to be able to test myself against the best in the league."

🤩 The moment the @LordMayorDublin surprised Aoife Wafer with the Guinness Player of the Championship award 🏆#GuinnessW6N #GuinnessPOTC @IrishRugby pic.twitter.com/R9J4ZmwfXM

— Guinness Women's Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) May 19, 2025

Although it may seem brash admitting to such ambitious aims at 22, the back rower has the stats to back up her goals.

She was recently named Women's Six Nations Player of the Championship after making the most carries (70) and scoring the joint-second most tries (4).

Harlequins' head coach, Ross Chisholm, did not hold back when identifying his new player's strengths. 

He said: "Her ball-carrying is unbelievable, she is right up there as one of the world's best in my opinion.

"It's the speed and the dynamism she is able to carry with, the acceleration and the leg-drive in contact and also her body height is amazing." 

The back row's performance led Ireland to a third-place finish, after Ireland beat Wales and Italy away from home and set an attendance record when 8,000 watched their contest against England in Cork.

Wafer joins a Quins side with tremendous star power, featuring the likes of Ellie Kildunne, Claudia Peña, Jade Konkel and Alex Callender.

💥 Aoife Wafer 😮‍💨 That's the post 💪#GuinnessW6N @IrishRugby @leinsterrugby pic.twitter.com/DmOzuW5HcV

— Guinness Women's Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) March 22, 2025

The value of this experience is not lost on their new teammate, who has lofty ambitions for her future.

She added: "The [quality in the squad] was definitely part of the decision to come over. To be able to come to a club where there are so many stars on the team is really exciting to me.

"I can't wait to pick their brains and to learn everything that I can from them.”

Hailing from Ballygarrett, Co. Wexford, in the southeast of Ireland, there may be a culture shock coming Wafer’s way when she moves to London.

Ballygarrett's population is less than 1,000, and Wafer is aware that there may be an adjustment period to life in the Big Smoke.

"I'm definitely nervous for it," Wafer said with a smile. "It was a big decision to come over here.

"I'm moving country so to move away from my friends and family is something that I had to take a lot of time to think about, but I'm really excited about it, and I can't wait to get stuck in after the World Cup."

Quins fans will be eager to see what Wafer means by 'stuck in', but if her past performances are anything to go by, a massive amount of physicality is coming to The Stoop next season.