Devoto targets big finale

By Mark Stevens
26/2/19

Ollie Devoto believes he and his Exeter Chiefs team-mates need to use every game now as a ‘stepping stone’ as they build towards an exciting end to the season.

With just eight rounds of the scheduled season remaining in the Gallagher Premiership, the Chiefs find themselves in pole position – four points clear of next-best Saracens – having returned to the summit at the weekend courtesy of their 35-17 victory over Newcastle Falcons.

Devoto was one of a number of changes the Chiefs made to their starting XV for that game – and the England international impressed as the home side ran in converted tries through Santiago Cordero, Jack Yeandle, Olly Woodburn, Nic White and Greg Holmes.

Despite the win, the 25-year-old insists there are still areas for the Devonians to work on, starting with this Saturday’s testing trip to Sale Sharks.

“Saturday was a good result and a great feeling come the end,” he said. “We’d not played at home for a while, so we wanted to give the crowd something to cheer about. Getting the five points and the win is good, but now we need to look to push on.

“We’ve come some big games coming up between now and the end of the season, so we need to build week by week.”

Although shy of a number of their frontline stars due to Six Nations call-ups and injuries, it was still a powerful Chiefs outfit that took to the field against the Falcons and Devoto insists everyone is desperate to play their part moving forward.

“If you’re in the side, you want to keep hold of the jersey,” he added. “I thought there were some really good parts to our game, we kept the ball well, but there were other areas which we know we need to work on.

“Sale this week is going to be another tough test for us. We’re heading towards the business end of the season, so we have to use every game as a stepping stone to get better. Each game is going to be a huge battle, so we have to be up for the fight if we want to get that home semi-final.”

The Chiefs will travel to the AJ Bell Stadium without their current England contingent of Ben Moon, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Harry Williams, Jack Nowell and Henry Slade, all of whom have been kept in a training camp along with Sale flanker Tom Curry by head coach Eddie Jones.