Devoto on spell with fourth-tier Taunton and USA move

Ollie Devoto has been playing for fourth-tier side Taunton since leaving Exeter Chiefs in the summer

Former Exeter and England centre Ollie Devoto has said he knew he was "not done" with playing, ahead of joining Major League Rugby side Chicago Hounds in the new year.

The 31-year-old made 127 appearances for the Chiefs during an eight-year spell with his hometown club before leaving in the summer.

He has since been representing fourth-tier outfit Taunton Titans, who play in National League 2.

"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?" Devoto told BBC Radio Somerset.

"Right now, the body feels really good and I'm really excited to play."

Devoto won two Premiership titles during his time in Exeter, as well as the 2020 European Champions Cup, and was capped twice by England in 2016 and 2020.

He missed most of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons because of a knee injury, but played 13 games for the Chiefs last season before leaving.

With Taunton the closest outfit to his home, he decided to step down the pyramid and join them with the idea of taking on a player-coach role.

"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," Devoto said.

"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.

"I've played more than I've coached but that's been my decision and it's just to keep fit."

Devoto is moving to the USA in January to join Major League Rugby side Chicago Hounds

Playing for Taunton means life is different than it was for Devoto at Exeter. The club is not professional, with training twice a week and crowd attendances a fraction of the size of those at Sandy Park.

"The guys have jobs and we're only training twice a week, although the boys train really hard," Devoto said. "They were running over 6km on Tuesday, which is quite hefty especially when the pitch is boggy like it is.

"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."

But there are still plenty of similarities to be found, especially in the camaraderie among the team.

"The characters are still the same and that's something that is special, something I was really keen not to lose," Devoto said.

While Devoto's stint at Taunton has been short, with the move across the Atlantic after Christmas, he said he would "love" to "keep that door open" on a return in the future.

Life in the USA will also represent a big change for a player who has spent his whole career in England, having also played for Bath.

While many footballers have chosen to move to the USA later in their careers, it is still a path less travelled in rugby union, although Devoto believes the sport is growing considerably.

"It's going to be different to Devon life but one that me and my family are really looking forward to," Devoto said.

"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.

"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.

"I'm really excited to get stuck in."