Billy Bohan has come a long way since the days of playing ‘knee rugby’ with his brothers, Tom and Jamie. Well, it’s not all that long ago that they were “smashing each other” at home in Kildare. Bohan is still only 20, after all. He’s now an Ireland international and the most special part of his debut against Japan in Newcastle was the fact that his family made it to Australia.
His dad, Enda, and younger brother, Leinster sub-academy loosehead Jamie, arrived last week to follow the tour. His mother, Amanda, and older brother, Naas out-half Tom, got out in time for his debut. “Just seeing my family after, I guess,” said Bohan of the highlight of his night, “seeing how proud they were. It was great to have them there.”
The Bohan household has always been rugby-mad. Enda was Lansdowne’s record AIL caps holder up until 2019 and also played for Leinster. Despite also having been a prop, Enda didn’t try to give too many tips along the way, instead just encouraging and praising Billy and his brothers, allowing them to find their own path. Amanda, meanwhile, is the daughter of the late Ireland and Lions player and coach Mick Doyle.
“Grandad and his brother [Tom, also an Ireland international] as well, they were very into rugby as well, so it’s good to honour him,” said Bohan, who owes his parents so much. “Big time, yeah, driving us around to minis rugby and stuff, so they’ve been very good.”
This has all happened very quickly for Bohan. As recently as November, he was playing in Division 2A of the AIL with Galway Corinthians. Bohan only made his Connacht debut in December. “From playing 2A to here, I’m not sure how many months it is, but it feels like it’s been a few years since that, to be honest,” said Bohan, who is still in Connacht’s academy but moves onto a new three-year deal next season.
“Corinthians has been class, just the team environment when I went in last year. Such a young group, so it was such good craic playing with them. Obviously, the seriousness in the Connacht set-up, then you go out to Corinthians to play on the weekend, and it’s just great fun. I really enjoyed my time there.”
Bohan started playing with his local club, Newbridge RFC, before his rugby took a step up in Newbridge College. The coaching from Johne Murphy and others at the Kildare school saw Bohan develop rapidly. “It was class,” said Bohan of Newbridge. “It’s good to have the lads in here, obviously, the two Prendergasts, who I’d be very close with, and Jimmy [O'Brien] as well, who was a bit ahead of me, but they’ve all been such good help since I’ve come in. It just feels good to have them there.”
After school, Bohan made the decision to take an offer of a full academy deal in Connacht rather than going into Leinster’s sub-academy. It’s fair to say the switch couldn’t have worked out any better. “No, it couldn’t,” said Bohan. “It was a tough call, but it’s only two hours west, so it’s not too bad. Andrew Browne, who was the academy coach there, and was my Ireland U19s head coach, he was a big reason why I moved west, because I had a good relationship with him, and he’s been huge for me and my development. I’d like to thank him very much.”
Like every other coach who has worked with Bohan, it’s likely that Browne would say the young loosehead deserves the credit for taking his chances. Stuart Lancaster has undoubtedly had a big impact in Connacht this season, with Bohan praising his head coach for allowing front row players to use their skills and mobility.
It has been a similar story in Ireland camp. Bohan was first called up during this year’s Six Nations and did well in training with Andy Farrell’s squad, teeing him up for his debut against Japan as injuries opened the door at loosehead. And now, Bohan has had the experience of being talked about by an opposition head coach. With Bohan and Connacht team-mate Sam Illo set for their debuts off the Irish bench on Saturday, Japan boss Eddie Jones said he expected the Japanese scrum to “dominate” in the second half in Newcastle.
Ireland didn’t shy away from that comment. “We had a forwards meeting [on Friday], and we walked in and that was on the screen, the comment he made,” said Bohan. “It was a good challenge. We put the challenge down. Obviously, they put a bit of pressure on, but I think we did pretty well, so I’m proud of all the lads. I didn’t think too deep into it because coaches make comments, but we still have to stick to our process. We don’t want to get fired up and then be erratic, so we just stick to our stuff.”
To be fair to Bohan, he had already built confidence in his scrummaging ability. Connacht’s win over the Sharks in April was a key moment in that regard. That was the day Bohan and Illo went up against World Cup-winning Springboks Ox Nché and Vincent Koch. The Connacht men shone. “I think that was the point where my confidence really went up,” said Bohan. “I felt like I could scrum against the best props in the world, so that was huge for us.”
Bohan's rise from AIL Division 2A to international rugby in less than a year is a testament to his work ethic, physicality, and the coaching pathways in Irish rugby. His grandfather Mick Doyle was a legendary figure – a former Ireland and Lions player who later coached Ireland and the Lions. That legacy is not lost on Bohan, but he is carving his own path. At Connacht, he has benefited from the structured academy system under Andrew Browne and the gameplan of Stuart Lancaster, which encourages props to be mobile and contribute in the open field. Bohan’s carrying, tackle count, and scrummaging have all improved markedly.
His debut against Japan came in a match where Ireland fielded a much-changed side, but Bohan showed no nerves. He entered the fray with 25 minutes left on the clock, and along with Sam Illo, helped maintain Ireland’s scrum dominance. The pack had to withstand a Japanese challenge that Eddie Jones had loudly predicted would overwhelm the Irish front row. Instead, Ireland’s young props held their own, with Bohan winning a penalty scrum in the final minutes that sealed the win.
Those who know him best as a player believe the sky is the limit for this young man. With his family's rugby pedigree and his own relentless drive, Bohan looks set to become a fixture in Irish rugby for years to come. His story is one of seizing opportunity, trusting the process, and never forgetting the roots – from knee rugby in Kildare to the international stage in Australia.
Source: MSN News