Ireland’s Aoife Wafer has been named the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations Player of the Championship, becoming the first player to win the award in back-to-back years. Her outstanding individual performances helped Ireland finish third in this year’s Championship.
Wafer joined an all start cast on the shortlist for this year’s prestigious award, with competition from England Captain, Meg Jones, France scrum half Pauline Bourdon Sansus, and Italy back-row Francesca Sgorbini, but it was Wafer who earned 40% of the 15,000 fan votes to claim her second successive accolade.
The shortlist for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations Player of The Championship went to a fan vote to decide its winner, but the nominees earned their place on the list through their chart-topping statistics. The 23-year-old back-row was a standout player in an Ireland team that finished third in this year’s tournament, with the second highest number of carries (78) in the Championship, the joint top ranked player for dominant tackles (8), and post contact meters (129), and crossing the try line five times to finish joint third for tries scored throughout the five rounds.
Wafer gave a starring performance for Ireland’s final fixture, earning herself Player of The Match to go with her sides historic win in front of a record crowd of 31,294 fans, and the biggest crowd ever for a standalone women’s rugby fixture at the Aviva Stadium, in Dublin.
Commenting on her second Player of the Championship award, Aoife Wafer, said: “I don’t even know what to say,” said Wafer on receiving the award. “Last year I was the first ever 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 these sort of things don’t happen without them. I’m just grateful that I’m part of an incredible team, and I get to come back to Quins and be a part of an incredible team here too.”
Paddy Carberry, Global Sports Marketing Manager for Guinness, added: “Aoife’s performances throughout this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations have been nothing short of exceptional. Her relentless work rate and leadership on the pitch embody the very spirit of the Championship — combining physical dominance with relentless drive and clarity of purpose.
To be recognised by fans for a second consecutive year speaks volumes, not only about her consistency at the highest level, but also the connection she has built with supporters of the game. Aoife continues to raise the standard and inspire, and we’re incredibly proud at Guinness to see her legacy grow as a back-to-back Player of the Championship.”
Kevin Potts, CEO of the IRFU added: “Aoife is a truly world class player and her achievement in being named Guinness Women’s Six Nations Player of the Championship for a second consecutive year is truly exceptional and a testament to her consistency, work rate and impact at the highest level. To stand out in such a competitive field of world-class players speaks volumes about her quality and mindset.
Everyone in Irish rugby is incredibly proud of Aoife, and we look forward to seeing her continue to grow, excel and make her mark in green in the years ahead.”
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