Wafer & Monaghan in contention to face Black Ferns

Ireland back row Aoife Wafer has missed the two opening World Cup wins through injury

Ireland back row Aoife Wafer and co-captain Sam Monaghan are "in contention" to face New Zealand in Sunday's Pool C decider.

Key back row Wafer has missed Ireland's wins over Japan and Spain as she recovered from knee surgery in July.

Monaghan was forced off in the victory over Spain as a "precaution", according to Irish scrum coach Denis Fogarty.

While he would not confirm whether the duo would be selected against New Zealand, Fogarty said "if people are fit and ready to play, we want to get them on the park".

"Ultimately we're going out to perform and actually win the game, that's been the goal for us the whole time," said Fogarty.

"I understand that there's a quarter-final [the following week] but the way we've been building and how we train, we're fully focused on this game and making sure we've a performance in place to give us momentum going into a quarter-final.

"If everyone is available to play, we want to get them on the pitch."

Wafer 'bursting to go'

Ireland stunned reigning world champions New Zealand in WXV1 last September.

Both teams have qualified for the quarter-finals and whoever comes out on top in Brighton on Sunday will progress to the last eight as Pool winners.

Fogarty said Wafer, who was player of the tournament in this year's Six Nations, has "continued on her progression" as she returns from injury.

Wafer joined up with the Irish squad after the opening win over Japan after continuing her rehab in Dublin.

He said the 22-year-old had returned to full contact "in a controlled area" and she will return to the "team environment"

"That will be the next step. We're hopeful of everything going well for her and she'll be in contention for the weekend," added Fogarty.

"She's bursting to go, if the game was today she'd want to play it. There's a bit of controlling her and holding her back a bit.

"She'll be ready and we have no doubts that when she gets onto the field she'll be bulling to go.

"In her mind she's ready to go, it's exciting for her."