Ireland’s Aoife Wafer Allegedly Bitten in Women’s Rugby World Cup
An alleged biting incident during the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-finals may lead to disciplinary action against France’s Axelle Berthoumieu. The incident reportedly occurred during the second half of the match, where France narrowly defeated Ireland 18-13 at Sandy Park in Exeter on September 14, 2025. Ireland captain Sam Monaghan confirmed she raised the issue with match officials after witnessing the aftermath.
Footage from the match appears to show Berthoumieu making contact with Ireland player Aoife Wafer‘s arm as she attempted to secure the ball during a ruck. Following the contact, Wafer, 22, is seen withdrawing her arm and reportedly stating, “she bit me.” Despite the nature of the incident, referee Aimee Barrett-Theron did not penalize Berthoumieu, and the incident went unnoticed by the Television Match Official (TMO).
“I spoke to the referee,” Monaghan stated in a post-match interview, as reported by BBC Sport. “Aoife told me, I didn’t see it myself, but I spoke to the referee and asked them.”
Both head coaches, Gaelle Mignot of France and Scott Bemand of Ireland, indicated during their press conferences that they had not seen the incident. Mignot commented, “We have not seen the images. We have been celebrating in the changing rooms. We will see what happens.”
The incident has sparked significant criticism from rugby pundits. Former England World Cup winner Maggie Alphonsi called it “disgraceful,” emphasizing the need for accountability in such situations. “I hate seeing that in the game,” she told BBC Sport. “When it comes to a situation like that it’s very clear, she should be punished for that. It’s sad because we’ve been celebrating the women’s game in this World Cup. It’s such a shame that the headlines will be dominated by the incident by a player who didn’t need to do that.”
According to tournament regulations, there is a 12-hour window post-match during which a citing complaint can be lodged. This allows the citing commissioner to review serious incidents that may have warranted a red card but were missed during the game. Both teams can also bring attention to any alleged infractions.
If a player is cited, a judicial hearing typically follows, with a judicial officer overseeing the proceedings. The minimum ban for biting is set at 12 weeks. In response to inquiries, World Rugby, the governing body of the sport, stated they would comment further if a complaint is filed.
As the tournament progresses, France prepares to face host nation England in the semi-finals on Saturday, a match that is poised to capture significant attention regardless of the recent controversy.
