Devoto overcomes injuries to reach his goal

Just as tennis ace Andy Murray fought his way back from a similar injury, so Devoto has done the same at Sandy Park, helping to add his experience alongside Rob Baxter’s next crop of Chiefs talent.

It’s been tough, there is no doubt about that, but the sight of the 30-year-old  barrelling his way through opposition midfields this season is something that the Yeovil-born back thought may never have happened when doctors first outlined the gravity of his problem.

“It was pretty tough, especially when I look back on these last two years in particular,” he said. “Even now, I can still remember the Doc giving me a ring and saying it wasn’t good news.

“I remember just breaking down for a bit because I kind of knew I’d been playing with these tight hips for a few seasons; I knew I was struggling to keep up and train regularly, so I was using a lot of anti-inflammatory tablets.

“It probably wasn’t good for me long term, but I knew that something had to happen. It wasn’t nice to hear, but everyone goes through setbacks in their lives and this was my big setback. Now, though, I can look back on all of that as a bit of victory because I had this goal of playing high-level rugby again – and just experiencing everything you go through from arriving at the ground, running out to packed stadiums, to getting that taste of the action again.”

Indeed, the sight of Devoto featuring in the recent Champions Cup clashes with former club Bath and then Toulouse, underlined just how far the talented centre had come in such a short space of time.

“If you had said to me that I was going to involved in those games, especially after that phone call with the Doc, I think I wouldn’t have believed you,” he added. “They were really special days.”

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Sadly, the Toulouse clash could be Devoto’s last outing for the Devon club, who have confirmed he will be leaving at the end of the current campaign, having made 127 appearances and scored 21 tries.

A two-time Premiership winner, as well as part of the club’s Champions Cup winning side of 2020, Devoto says his Chiefs journey has certainly been one to remember.

“When I first moved from Bath, I thought at the time it was quite a big move for me,” he said. “I wasn’t sure quite what to expect, but looking back now it was the best decision I could have made for my career.

“Obviously, I knew a number of the lads already from the Under-20s days, guys like Jack Nowell, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Henry Slade and Sam Hill, and we were all part of that core group who were helping the club reach all those finals.

“It’s been an amazing journey for me, one which I will never forget, but now it’s onto something new. Exeter has been a massive part of my life. I met my wife here, started a family here, and the place is very much my home these days.

“I’ve got a lot to be thankful for, not just the rugby, but all the stuff that happens off the field. I’ve made lifelong friends, met some amazing people and the support I’ve received from the club, the fans, everyone, I can’t thank them enough.

“I know quite a few of the boys have moved on now, but I’m sure there will be a time when we can all sit down, have a beer together, and just talk about what was one hell of a journey. Seeing the squad now, the future is bright for the Chiefs, and it’s been awesome being part of this next group.

“A bit like with the guys I came through, they are all of a similar age, they are close as a group and they all want to do well. It’s massively exciting.”

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