EXETER Chiefs head coach Ali Hepher admitted the players were 'hurting' after the humiliating 40-5 Premiership defeat to Harlequins at Twickenham Stadium last night.

The Chiefs trailed 26-0 at the interval, and it hardly got any better in the second period, bar a try from hooker Jack Innard.

Hepher said: "The players are always trying and they're the ones that hurt the most. They'll have absolutely tried their hardest, but just not necessarily in the right direction.

"We've just got to reset a little bit, we've got to move forward, we've got a big game against Newcastle at home next week and make sure we're in a frame of mind to bring the utmost intensity and speed we can bring to a game, which we probably didn't do today.

"But you've got to say full credit to Quins, they were quality right the way throughout the game - the speed they brought to it, the variations they had and they were able to find space and quick ball that made it difficult for us."