Wexford woman Aoife Wafer celebrated her birthday week with a lovely try versus the French in a bruising encounter in the Womens Six Nations first round match in a packed Stade Marie Marvingt, Le Mans last Saturday….
The Ballygarrett native had a storming performance from blindside flanker in a spirited display by the Irish girls, losing out on a respectable score-line of 38 – 17.
Aoife was clearly up for it, singing Ireland’s call proudly and passionately in front of 25,000 fans. Wafer was in the thick of it early, taking some contact from the French. She was seen all over the pitch, protecting her ten at opposition lineout moves, latching onto Irish girls going on the attack, helping out valiantly in maul defence, and producing physical tackles.
Though named at six on the team sheet, the young Ballygarrett woman stood in at no.8 on an attacking scrum, ready to be unleashed into the French half backs, only for Ireland to win a scrum penalty. The penalty goal put Ireland in a good position trailing by only 7 points to 3. She highlighted her excellent communication skills throughout the first half, calling for defensive numbers to align and help her out.
Later she pummelled the French full back with a beauty of tackle, which was followed up by a nicely orchestrated wrap tackle.
Unfortunately a little bit of temptation after a nice counter ruck, caused Aoife to shoot out after the French scrum half leaving a small gap on the inside and with a deft reverse pass the Les Blues left winger was put into space and scored very well near the posts.
Wafer really upped the ante in the second half and produced a stunning performance. It was really backs to the wall stuff in the early stage of the new half and the Leinster woman excelled in great maul defence and two amazing tackles on the five metre line and on the try line. France did, however, score and went into a comfortable lead.
That didn’t stop Aoife respecting her responsibilities and she led the fight with another excellent tackle that led to a knock on and a bone crunching tackle to cause another knock on by the French. An amazing twenty metre run off the back of an attacking Irish scrum after selling the Les Blues tacklers with a cheeky dummy was one of many crucial plays by the Wexford woman.
Wafer was up to her usual destructive self with an earth shattering tackle on an unfortunate opponent but by this stage the French Mademoiselle’s had stormed into a 29-3 lead. Moments later, Aoife smashed French danger woman Konde in a crucial tackle ending a searing break up the middle.
The Ballygarrett woman kick started a really bright purple patch for the Irish girls with incredible leg power in a determined low drive to score a hard earned try underneath the posts in what was her first try for the Irish Women’s Rugby team. She capped her day’s shift off with a trademark tackle before being given a well earned rest around the 77th minute.
Aoife should take great happiness and confidence following a wonderful performance in Green against a powerhouse of European International Rugby, showing she is well capable to play great rugby at the highest level.
Well done Aoife and Happy belated Birthday!
Byron Jones
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