Women’s Six Nations: Ireland’s Aoife Wafer retains Player of the Championship award

Ireland forward Aoife Wafer has been named the Women’s Six Nations Player of the Championship for 2026, becoming the first player to win the award back-to-back.

The back row secured 40% of the fan vote for the 2026 tournament beating England’s Grand Slam-winning captain Meg Jones, Italy back-row Francesca Serbini and France scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansas.

In 2025, Wafer Top in the polls France’s Manay Fellow in the second row, England’s Abbey Dow and Scotland’s AV Gallagher in the back row.

This year, the 23-year-old started all five games at number eight as Ireland finished third behind England and France for the third consecutive year.

The Harlequins player finished the tournament with five tries, surpassing the four he managed in 2025, and made 78 carries, the most of any forward.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Wafer said.

“Last year I was the first Irish woman and the youngest to do it, and to back it up is pretty special.

“The girls back home will agree with me that this kind of thing doesn’t happen without them. I’m just thankful that I’m part of an incredible team, and I get to come back to Queens and be part of an incredible team here as well.”