Ollie Devoto: Exeter Chiefs can avoid replicating Bath's Premiership struggles

Exeter and England centre Ollie Devoto is confident his new team will sustain their Premiership form after finishing runners-up, unlike his old side Bath.

Saracens defended their Premiership title at Twickenham in May, beating Rob Baxter's play-off debutants Exeter.

"There were a number of things that led to Bath not really performing well last season," Devoto told BBC Sport.

"I was part of a side that was very successful one year and not so much the next, so for me personally I've learnt a lot from that.

"Hopefully I can take it into this season with Chiefs but, like I say, I don't see that [slump] at all dripping in at the moment."

Exeter start their campaign at Wasps, who knocked them out of last year's European Champions Cup, before welcoming title holders Saracens to Sandy Park.

Head coach Baxter does not think there will be a hangover for his side after coming so close last season.

"Personally, for me, I think the most important thing is we don't over focus on the fact we lost that final," he added.

"The important thing was not to overreact to losing that final and suddenly think we had a lot of things we had to change - because that wasn't the case, it was a pretty close game.

"We feel probably, if we could do it again, that we'd get a bit closer again or perhaps even win."