Ollie Devoto

Last updated

Ollie Devoto
Birth nameOliver Jonathan Devoto
Date of birth (1993-09-22) 22 September 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Yeovil, England
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight103 kg (16 st 3 lb; 227 lb)
School The Gryphon School
Bryanston School
Occupation(s)Professional rugby union player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre, Fly-half, Full-back
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2000–2012 Sherborne RFC ()
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2012–2016 Bath 85 (60)
2013 → Cornish Pirates (D/R) 0 (0)
2016–2024 Exeter Chiefs 127 (110)
2024– Chicago Hounds 0 (0)
Correct as of 2 December 2024
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2013 England U20 7 (8)
2015–2016 England A 3 (5)
2016–2020 England 2 (0)
Correct as of 5 February 2020

Oliver Jonathan Devoto (born 22 September 1993) is an English rugby union player who plays for Chicago Hounds in Major League Rugby. His position is as a utility back primarily at centre.

Contents

Early life

Devoto was born in Yeovil, Somerset and grew up in Sherborne in Dorset. The Devoto surname is of Ligurian origin. [1] He was educated at The Gryphon School in Sherborne. [2] Devoto started playing for his local club Sherborne RFC from when he was seven years old and stayed there through all of their age groups. [3] While with Sherborne, Devoto represented Dorset & Wiltshire at under-16 and under-18 levels and played for the South West under-16 side. [2] He was picked up by the Bath Rugby academy at the age of sixteen, and was granted a sixth form scholarship at Bryanston School. [3]

Club career

Bath Rugby: 2012–2016

An injury crisis during the 2012–13 season amongst Bath's backs saw Devoto promoted to the 1st XV squad, and he made his first team debut as a substitute in Bath's Premiership match against London Wasps on 8 September 2012. [4]

On 1 March 2013, Devoto joined RFU Championship side Cornish Pirates on a dual-registration deal but didn't make an appearance for the Penzance-based club. [5]

In March 2014, Devoto was named 2014 LV= breakthrough player for his performances in the 2014–15 LV Cup, as part of the award his former club Sherborne RFC received a £1,000 donation. [6] [7]

Devoto played for the vast majority of Bath's 2015 Premiership final loss to Saracens, replacing the injured Anthony Watson after seven minutes. [8] [9]

Exeter Chiefs: 2016–2024

On 15 January 2016 it was announced that Devoto had signed for fellow Premiership side Exeter Chiefs on a three-year contract. [10] In his first season at the club he started in the 2016–17 Premiership Rugby final as Exeter defeated Wasps to become champions of England for the first time in their history. [11] The following season he was a member of the side that won the last edition of the Anglo-Welsh Cup beating former team Bath in the final. [12]

Devoto came off the bench as a substitute during the 2020 European Rugby Champions Cup final as Exeter defeated Racing 92 to become champions of Europe. [13] A week later he started in the 2019–20 Premiership Rugby final as Exeter overcame Wasps to complete an historic league and European double. [14]

Devoto won his last trophy with Exeter when he came on as a replacement during their 2022–23 Premiership Rugby Cup final victory against London Irish. [15] In May 2024 having scored 21 tries in 127 appearances during an eight-year spell it was announced that Devoto would be leaving the club. [16]

Major League Rugby

Devoto joined Chicago Hounds for the 2025 Major League Rugby season. [17]

International career

Devoto was a member of the England U19 development team. [3] He was called up to the England U20 side for the 2013 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and made his debut at that level off the bench as his side overcame France 40–10. After impressing in that performance, he was selected at full-back in the final two matches of the tournament, as his England side beat Italy and Wales to retain the Six Nations trophy. [18] Devoto was then included in their squad for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship and scored a try in England's record 109–0 victory over the United States. [19] He was a replacement in the final as England triumphed over Wales to become junior World Champions for the first time. [20]

In June 2014, Devoto was included in an England XV for their match against the Barbarians. He came on as a replacement for his Bath teammate Jonathan Joseph and played for the last 21 minutes in England's 39–29 defeat. [21] In January 2015, Devoto was included in the England A squad for the first time. [22] On 30 January 2015 he made his first appearance at that level as a replacement against Ireland Wolfhounds. [23]

On 13 January 2016 Devoto received his first call up to the senior England squad by new coach Eddie Jones for the 2016 Six Nations Championship. [24] His only involvement in the tournament was as an unused replacement in the opening round against Scotland as England went on to complete a Grand Slam. [25] [26]

On 29 May 2016 Devoto made his England Test debut as a substitute in their 27–13 win against Wales at Twickenham. [27] In June 2016 he was included in the England A squad that toured South Africa and scored a try in the opening game as England defeated South Africa to win the series. [28] [29] After Joe Marchant was ruled out of their 2017 tour of Argentina through a toe injury, Devoto was called up as an injury replacement although did not make an appearance. [30]

Devoto gained his second and ultimately last cap for England coming on as a substitute in a defeat to France during their opening match of the 2020 Six Nations Championship. [31] [32] He was an unused replacement in the next round against Scotland at Murrayfield as England went on to win the tournament. [33] [34]

Honours

Exeter
Bath
England
England U20

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References

  1. ↑ Smith, Steven (1 June 2021). ""Future England captain" – The 3 players Eddie Jones tipped to be world-class in 2015". Ruck. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  2. 1 2 Slot, Owen (3 September 2016). "Devoto's capture may prove steal of the century" . The Times . Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Asprey, Beatrice (1 September 2013). "Hotshots: Meet young Bath rugby star Ollie Devoto". Rugby World. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Bath 30–23 Wasps". BBC Sport . British Broadcasting Corporation. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "Cornish Pirates sign two more Bath players on dual-registration". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "RUGBY: Devoto wins LV award". Wiltshire Times. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  7. ↑ "Ollie Devoto: Bath back earns LV= Cup breakthrough award". BBC Sport. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  8. ↑ James, Steve (30 May 2015). "Bath 16 Saracens 28, Premiership final match report: Owen Farrell lights up Twickenham with brilliant display". The Telegraph . Telegraph Media Group . Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  9. 1 2 Hassan, Nabil (30 May 2015). "Premiership final: Bath 16-28 Saracens". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  10. ↑ "Ollie Devoto: Exeter sign Bath back on three-year deal". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  11. 1 2 Law, James (27 May 2017). "Premiership final: Wasps 20-23 Exeter Chiefs (aet)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  12. 1 2 Williams, Adam (30 March 2018). "Anglo-Welsh Cup final: Bath 11-28 Exeter Chiefs". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  13. 1 2 Henson, Mike (17 October 2020). "Champions Cup: Exeter beat Racing 92 31-27 to lift first Champions Cup title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  14. 1 2 Pilnick, Brent (24 October 2020). "Premiership Final: Exeter beat Wasps 19-13 to secure historic double". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  15. 1 2 Pilnick, Brent (19 March 2023). "Premiership Rugby Cup: London Irish 20-24 Exeter Chiefs (AET)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  16. ↑ "Devoto to leave Exeter at end of season". BBC Sport. 9 May 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  17. ↑ Stevens, Mark (10 November 2024). "Chicago will be Devoto's kind of town". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  18. 1 2 "Six Nations 2013: Wales U20 15-28 England U20". BBC Sport. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  19. ↑ "England U20 v USA U20". World Rugby. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  20. 1 2 Standley, James (23 June 2013). "Junior World Championship: Wales U20 15–23 England U20". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  21. ↑ Rees, Paul (1 June 2014). "Experienced Barbarians claim narrow win but England's youngsters impress". The Guardian . Guardian Media Group . Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  22. ↑ "Six Nations: Nick Easter and Danny Cipriani in England squad". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  23. ↑ Kitson, Robert (30 January 2015). "Sam Burgess makes winning start for England Saxons at Irish Wolfhounds". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  24. ↑ "Six Nations 2016: Josh Beaumont in new-look England squad". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  25. ↑ Fordyce, Tom (6 February 2016). "Six Nations 2016: Scotland lose 15-9 to Jones' England". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  26. ↑ Fordyce, Tom (19 March 2016). "Six Nations 2016: England win Grand Slam with France victory". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  27. ↑ Dirs, Ben (29 May 2016). "England 27-13 Wales: Hosts score five tries but Ford misfires". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  28. ↑ "England Saxons beat South Africa A in opening tour match". BBC Sport. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  29. ↑ "England Saxons fight back to down South Africa 'A' and complete series whitewash". Sky Sports. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  30. ↑ "Joe Marchant & Paul Hill out of England's tour to Argentina". BBC Sport. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  31. ↑ Jones, Chris (31 January 2020). "France v England: George Furbank starts Six Nations opener". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  32. ↑ Fordyce, Tom (2 February 2020). "France 24-17 England: England lose Six Nations opener in Paris". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  33. ↑ English, Tom (8 February 2020). "Scotland 6-13 England: Visitors reclaim Calcutta Cup and keep Six Nations title hopes alive". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  34. 1 2 Grey, Becky (31 October 2020). "Italy 5-34 England: Visitors' victory proves enough to win Six Nations title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
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