{"id":421179,"date":"2025-09-13T13:24:22","date_gmt":"2025-09-13T13:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/421179\/"},"modified":"2025-09-13T13:24:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T13:24:22","slug":"ireland-boosted-by-return-of-aoife-wafer-for-world-cup-quarter-final-against-france-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/421179\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland boosted by return of Aoife Wafer for World Cup quarter-final against France \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ireland<\/a> have received a significant boost with the return of Aoife Wafer to the backrow for Sunday\u2019s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France. The 22-year-old \u2013 this year\u2019s Six Nations Player of the Tournament \u2013 has been named at openside flanker in what will be her first game since Ireland beat Wales in April. She had been sidelined by a pair of knee injuries which saw her undergo surgery during the summer. <\/p>\n

Wafer is one of two changes in the backrow from the team that lost to New Zealand<\/a> last Sunday. Edel McMahon has not recovered in time after picking up a knock in that game. Fiona Tuite, who was an injury absence against the Black Ferns in Brighton, has recovered to once again wear the six jersey. <\/p>\n

\"\"Ireland suffer at the hands of a vengeful New Zealand<\/p>\n

All told, those backrow changes are the only new faces in the starting XV named by head coach Scott Bemand. The backline remains the same, with Stacey Flood pulling through to start at fullback having suffered a cut to her foot. That injury saw her stretchered off in a protective boot last time out. <\/p>\n

Amee-Leigh Costigan and B\u00e9ibhinn Parsons are again the two wings, Aoife Dalton and Eve Higgins line out at centre while Dannah O\u2019Brien and Aoibheann Reilly form the halfback pairing. <\/p>\n

Niamh O\u2019Dowd, Neve Jones and Linda Djougang line out in the frontrow while Sam Monaghan \u2013 the captain in McMahon\u2019s absence \u2013 partners Ruth Campbell at lock. Brittany Hogan completes the team at number eight. <\/p>\n

Wafer has been many things in this World Cup. Finally, she is a starter in an Ireland team ahead of a definitive quarter-final clash with Six Nations rivals France. <\/p>\n

The condition of her knee has dominated public discourse at this competition. Given her ball-carrying might, this was always going to be the case. Every midweek media briefing has started with some sort of question about the Irish backrow. <\/p>\n

Prior to the opening pool game against Japan, there was a clearcut message: no Wafer. Ahead of Spain in the next game, she was \u201con track and going really well\u201d, according to the Ireland camp. Pre-New Zealand, Wafer was \u201cbursting to go\u201d. During quarter-final week, she was \u201clooking really good\u201d. <\/p>\n

This time, the positive messaging was backed up by the on-field reality. Wafer is in. <\/p>\n

\"LastLast Sunday’s pool defeat to New Zealand in Brighton came too soon for Aoife Wafer, but she returns against France. Photograph: Ben Brady\/Inpho <\/p>\n

Perhaps this was the plan all along. Bemand has almost certainly been game-planning for this French clash since the draw for the tournament was made. Once Wafer went down, the priority may well have shifted. Have her ready for this week while being coy about doing so. <\/p>\n

[\u00a0Gerry Thornley: Ireland may need help from the rugby gods to prolong World Cup adventureOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

In any case, World Cups are supposed to be showcases for the game\u2019s best talent. Over the last two years, Wafer has cemented her status among the sport\u2019s upper echelons. The competition is all the better for her belated presence. It is hoped that the slow build-up of fitness allows for a performance befitting of the stakes.<\/p>\n

Ellena Perry and Enya Breen, injured last week, also return to bench roles. Only Edel McMahon, one of the Ireland leaders, has fallen foul of injury. While her absence is a significant blow, a solitary missing body is not the worst return at this stage of a campaign. <\/p>\n

Defeat to the Black Ferns in Brighton was characterised by power, or lack thereof. Ireland were knocked back in the carry. Their defence struggled to protect the gainline. France have the ammunition to do the same, while adding a dominant scrum which has a recent history of success against Ireland. <\/p>\n

When camped out inside the New Zealand 22, Ireland lacked that crucial carry to make a bust and scatter the goal line defence. What they would have given for a Wafer charge from the base of the scrum. Fitness levels depending, of course, now they have that. <\/p>\n

\"Ireland'sIreland’s Fiona Tuite powers through against Spain in Ireland’s second World Cup pool game. Photograph: Ben Brady\/Inpho <\/p>\n

Tuite also brings some ballast with ball in hand, while adding another critical component to the Irish lineout. She ran that set-piece prior to her injury. When Ireland gave France somewhat of a scare in the most recent Six Nations, their three scores came from a creative lineout. Wafer charging around off the back also helped. The ingredients for a repeat attack are there. <\/p>\n

It is easy to forget that Ireland\u2019s backline fired the odd shot in that game during the spring as well. Prior to being shut down by New Zealand\u2019s relentless line speed, they also looked in fine fettle in recent weeks. Hopes of reaching the semi-final may rest with finding a way of giving Costigan, Parsons and co possession in space. <\/p>\n

[\u00a0Ireland have seen France\u2019s game plan before \u2013 can they upset it this time?Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

France have more power in collisions, greater set-piece heft and a more nuanced kicking game than what we\u2019ve seen from Ireland. It will take a special Irish display combined with a French underperformance for the green wave to roll into the last four. <\/p>\n

Maybe injury recoveries give a physical boost. Perhaps parity does come and the variability of knockout rugby falls in Ireland\u2019s favour. Ifs, buts and maybes. The smart money says this will be a tall Irish order. <\/p>\n

France<\/b>: Morgane Bourgeois; Joanna Grisez, Marine M\u00e9nager (Co-captain), Gabrielle Vernier, Kelly Arbey; Lina Queyroi, Pauline Bourdon Sansus; Yllana Brosseau, Agathe G\u00e9rin, Rose Bernadou; Manae Feleu (co-captain), Madoussou Fall Raclot; Axelle Berthoumieu, L\u00e9a Champon, Charlotte Escudero. <\/p>\n

Replacements<\/b>: Manon Bigot, Anna\u00eblle Deshaye, Assia Khalfaoui, Hina Ikahehegi, S\u00e9raphine Okemba, T\u00e9ani Feleu, Alexandra Chambon, Emilie Boulard.<\/p>\n

Ireland:<\/b> Stacey Flood; B\u00e9ibhinn Parsons, Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins, Amee-Leigh Costigan; Dannah O\u2019Brien, Aoibheann Reilly; Niamh O\u2019Dowd, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Ruth Campbell, Sam Monaghan (capt); Fiona Tuite, Aoife Wafer, Brittany Hogan. <\/p>\n

Replacements: <\/b>Cl\u00edodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Ellena Perry, Sadhbh McGrath, Eimear Corri-Fallon, Grace Moore, Emily Lane, Enya Breen, Anna McGann. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ireland have received a significant boost with the return of Aoife Wafer to the backrow for Sunday\u2019s Rugby…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":421010,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5309],"tags":[144007,2000,299,36,10153,117945,120010],"class_list":{"0":"post-421179","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-france","8":"tag-aoife-wafer","9":"tag-eu","10":"tag-europe","11":"tag-france","12":"tag-ireland-womens-rugby","13":"tag-scott-bemand","14":"tag-womens-rugby-world-cup"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115197212550680895","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=421179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421179\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/421010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=421179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=421179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=421179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}