The excitement among Ireland supporters intensified on Wednesday as head coach Andy Farrell unveiled his 36-man squad for the inaugural Nations Championship, set to commence with matches against Australia, Japan, and New Zealand in July.

Among the selections are three uncapped players from Connacht: props Billy Bohan and Sam Illo, along with back row Sean Jansen. They will join the squad's preparations in Sydney on Monday ahead of their first fixture against the Wallabies on July 4.

This selection underscores the impressive performance of Connacht, particularly as they secured a spot in the United Rugby Championship play-offs, finishing eighth in the table and qualifying for next season's Champions Cup.

Key details about the uncapped trio include:

• Billy Bohan (20 years old): A regular starter at Connacht, he was part of the Ireland Six Nations squad earlier this year but did not play. Bohan has made 11 URC appearances since debuting in December and has previously represented Ireland at the U20 level.
• Sam Illo (25 years old): This marks Illo's first call-up to the senior Ireland squad, following his strong performances for Connacht. He has accumulated 49 appearances since joining the team from the Leinster academy and has previously played for Emerging Ireland.
• Sean Jansen: Details on Jansen's previous experience were not highlighted in the article, but his inclusion reflects the depth of talent being considered for the upcoming matches.

With Farrell looking to build a competitive squad for the Rugby World Cup, the performances of these young forwards will be crucial as they aim to secure their first international caps.