The 2020 winners crossed for four tries in Bordeaux – including the opening score on four minutes - but the three later efforts came after the reigning champions had marched into a commanding lead.

Baxter highlighted how Exeter’s mistakes were ruthlessly punished by La Rochelle and admitted that they didn’t impose themselves on the game after their fast start.

“The truth is, every defensive slip we made, it became a try,” he told Chiefs’ website. “I thought the first five minutes, we contained them with great energy, got good field position, we were brave, and we got the try which, I felt, gave us some foundation into the game.

“Unfortunately - and this is where you have go give credit to the really good teams - if you then make a mistake, more often than not they’ll punish you and that’s exactly what happened.

“When we go through the game again, we will look at some of those thought-provoking mistakes, some decision-making mistakes and also, at times, a lack of real decisiveness.

“Had we gone flat-out, I think we would have been much better. Instead, we didn’t and we got stodgy, which in turn led to penalties and pressure.”

Baxter went on to praise the dominant hosts and underlined how competing with a side of their calibre will benefit his less experienced players.

“La Rochelle showed what a good team can do if you let them into the game easily,” he added.

“At the same time, today is going to let us add some layers of experience to some young guys who, let’s be honest, have not been here long, nor have they played that many games.

“There is so much more there to come. That game didn’t need to be a 20-point difference come the end, had we done more of the things we talked about.

“Moving forward, we have to work with this group and add that experience so that next time we’re in this position, they know how to deal with it.”

With many of Exeter’s core group departing the club or retiring at the end of the season – including some who lifted the Heineken Champions Cup in 2020 – Baxter issued an emotional and defiant message.

“I am going to miss these guys because they are amazing players and I count some of them as life-long friends of mine and we have done some incredible things together,” he said.

“We have been on a journey together for 12, 13, 14 years with some of them but, at the same time, I am also looking forward to next year because I would like to start a journey with some of these other players.

“It will be amazing to watch guys like Will Becconsall, Tom Wyatt and Tom Cairns, guys who have just got into the team, and Christ Tshiunza, Daf Jenkins, it will be amazing to watch these guys lift a trophy one day, and that’s what we have got to focus on now.”

Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter says his side lacked conviction as they went down 47-28 in Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final at Stade Rochelais.