Exeter boss Susie Appleby says some players “let themselves down” when the holders were beaten 36-29 by Saracens in the Allianz Cup semi-finals.
The visitors trailed 31-0 at half-time with Clara Nielson, Linde van der Velden and Demi Swann yellow-carded as Chiefs conceded five first-half tries.
Hope Rogers and Nielson both scored two tries after the break and Taz Bricknell also crossed as Exeter came close.
It meant Exeter lost their grip on the cup having won the previous two years.
“In the first half we just kept making errors and then compounding them and not creating enough opportunities,” Appleby told BBC Radio Devon.
“There was not a lot to say at half-time apart from ‘show us what you’ve got and show us what heart you’ve got’ – and I definitely think we showed that in the second half.”
The loss means Exeter will play Gloucester in the third-place play-off in two weeks before the final three games of the season in Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR).
“We were rusty, but there’s definitely some lessons learned in terms of individuals that went out there and did some really good stuff, some individuals that were also letting themselves down, so as a selection tool it was really valuable,” added Appleby.
“In two weeks’ time we go back on the field and what we need to do is make sure we take that second-half performance into the rest of the season – into the cup and then into the league.
“It wasn’t the result that we came for, but we’ll run with it and make sure we’ll improve.”
