Ollie Devoto Discusses Time with Taunton and Upcoming USA Transfer

Ollie Devoto, a former centre for Exeter and England, has been playing for the fourth-tier team Taunton since his departure from Exeter Chiefs this past summer. He stated that he felt he was “not done” with his playing career, prior to his upcoming move to Major League Rugby’s Chicago Hounds in the new year. The 31-year-old athlete accumulated 127 appearances for the Chiefs over an eight-year period with his hometown club before his summer departure. Subsequently, he has been playing for the fourth-tier club Taunton Titans, which competes in National League 2. Devoto conveyed to BBC Radio Somerset, “I expressed it quite clearly that I wasn’t done playing yet and I had a couple of years at Chiefs where I had some big injuries, I didn’t play and I was sat on the fence – do I continue to play or not?” He added, “Right now, the body feels really good and I’m really excited to play.” During his tenure in Exeter, Devoto secured two Premiership titles and the 2020 European Champions Cup. He also earned two caps for England, in 2016 and 2020. A knee injury caused him to miss the majority of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. However, he participated in 13 games for the Chiefs last season prior to his departure. Given Taunton’s proximity to his residence, he opted to move down the league structure and join the club, intending to assume a player-coach position. Devoto stated, “I ended things with Exeter, had a great eight years down there at the Chiefs, then had a conversation with Yappy [Tony Yapp] who is head coach here.” He continued, “He expressed a position of coach, mainly coaching the backs. I said to him I was still keen to play and so got stuck into pre-season and here I am now.” He concluded, “I’ve played more than I’ve coached but that’s been my decision and it’s just to keep fit.” Devoto is scheduled to relocate to the USA in January to join the Major League Rugby team Chicago Hounds. His experience playing for Taunton contrasts with his time at Exeter. The club operates on a non-professional basis, conducting training sessions twice weekly, and drawing crowd attendances significantly smaller than those at Sandy Park. Devoto remarked, “The guys have jobs and we’re only training twice a week, although the boys train really hard.” He elaborated, “They were running over 6km on Tuesday, which is quite hefty especially when the pitch is boggy like it is.” He added, “Some guys are coming in off site and I’m sort of in awe of them a bit because previously it was just my job.” Nevertheless, numerous commonalities persist, particularly regarding team camaraderie. “The characters are still the same and that’s something that is special, something I was really keen not to lose,” Devoto commented. Although Devoto’s tenure at Taunton is brief, given his post-Christmas transatlantic move, he expressed that he would “love” to “keep that door open” for a potential return in the future. His upcoming life in the USA will also signify a significant transition for a player who has spent his entire career in England, including a period playing for Bath. While numerous footballers have opted for a move to the USA later in their careers, this remains a less common trajectory within rugby union, despite Devoto’s belief that the sport is experiencing substantial growth. Devoto stated, “It’s going to be different to Devon life but one that me and my family are really looking forward to.” He continued, “It’s massively up and coming, I’ve had a few friends that have gone out there in previous years and they’ve absolutely loved it.” He further added, “I think it’s come on so much even in these past five years and [with] the international team, now you’re starting to see the results. They’ve had some unbelievable results this autumn international period.” He concluded, “I’m really excited to get stuck in.”