Dynamic back-row Aoife Wafer has been named the Participant of the Championship for the 2025 Guinness Girls’s Six Nations.
The 22-year-old, who’s the primary Irish lady to obtain the award, earned 41% of the vote from over 18,546 followers to say the title, with 333 extra votes than Manaé Feleu in second place. Additionally nominated had been England’s Abby Dow and Scotland back-row Evie Gallagher.
Wafer completed the 2025 marketing campaign as joint-second attempt scorer with 4 tries, and sat atop the carrying desk with 70 carries, which made 424.7 metres and evaded 17 defenders.
With 15 Eire caps to her identify, she now has 12 tries, and her 4 for the match made her the second-highest try-scoring ahead behind Teani Feleu, youthful sister of Manaé.
The newly topped Participant of the Championship stated: “It means the world to me as a result of I need to be one of the best on the earth, and I need my identify up there with these Irish ladies’s rugby stars; I really feel that this award is somewhat step in direction of that.
“It’s big for me, but additionally for our workforce; it actually reveals how a lot we’ve finished within the final two years and the way a lot we’re rising. This trophy is not only mine, it’s the workforce, it’s my household, it’s extra so for them than it’s for me.
“I at all times wished to be one of the best at all the pieces I did, I wished to make my household, my pals and my workforce proud. Ever since I used to be six I wished to play for Eire, after which, as I began rising up it grew to become like ‘you can be knowledgeable ladies’s rugby participant in Eire’.
“It’s nice to be nominated and win this trophy, and hopefully this may encourage the youthful technology to choose a rugby ball or to choose up any sport because it’s crucial.”
Sharing these particular moments with those that matter most 🫶💚#GuinnessW6N #GuinnessPOTC @IrishRugby pic.twitter.com/OQAncXyMnS
— Guinness Girls’s Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) May 19, 2025
Chief Govt of the IRFU, Kevin Potts, added: “Congratulations to Aoife Wafer on being named the 2025 Guinness Girls’s Six Nations Participant of the Championship, a really historic and galvanizing achievement.
“As the primary Irish lady to obtain this honour, Aoife has not solely showcased world-class expertise but additionally helps to encourage future generations. I want to pay tribute to her dad and mom, Sam and Aidan, who I do know have been a unbelievable supply of help for her since she took up taking part in rugby at a younger age. Everybody on the IRFU is immensely pleased with Aoife’s achievement.”
Eire start their Rugby World Cup 2025 marketing campaign in opposition to Japan on 24 August (Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton) earlier than taking part in Spain on the similar venue on 31 August.
Of their remaining pool stage fixture, they’ll journey to Brighton to face defending champions New Zealand – who they beat at WXV 1 final 12 months and traditionally knocked out of the 2014 Rugby World Cup, on 7 September 2025.
