Wafer 'proud' of 'clinical' Ireland in Wales win

Ireland back row Aoife Wafer said "there is a lot to be proud of" after the side's 33-12 bonus-point win over Wales in Belfast. Wafer registered a try in each half in the important win and picked up the Player of the Match award after an impressive overall display. The result means that Wales are without a win in their last nine Six Nations matches, while Ireland have won both their home games this tournament.

"We knew that Wales would come out firing, they obviously put it up to a big English team two weeks ago," Wafer told BBC Sport. "There was a lot for us to be stopping and fair dues to them, they really put it up to us in the first half and we weren't entirely happy with the first half. "We spoke about fast starts and we got that in the second half.

There is a lot to be proud of today. " Brittany Hogan also scored two tries in the win, with the timing of the back row's first try particularly crucial after the side were awarded a penalty in the closing stages of the first half and opted to play rather than kick the ball out of touch. The resulting try gave Ireland a 12-point lead at the break with Scott Bemand's outfit able to push on in the second half and extend their advantage.

"This group is one that doesn't breathe out, we keep chasing things," she continued. "We spoke about being clinical and why bother kicking it out when we can go after something? "We have the fitness levels to do that and I back this team.