Exeter Chiefs may be preparing for their final game of the season, but head coach Rob Baxter will not settle for any let-up in intensity this week.
After restoring some pride with a much improved display against Harlequins than the embarrassment of their record defeat against Sale, the Sandy Park boss wants his players to build on that showing.
The desire was back in their play and, despite a late try condemning them to a 30-29 defeat, they came out with a fair amount of positives.
Baxter has now told his players that has to be the benchmark from now on as he will not accept a return to the limp performance that saw them crash 55-12 in their previous outing.
"The Harlequins performance has to be a start point for us," Baxter told Echo Sport. "We start from there and add to it, it's not the be-all and end-all.
"We put a lot into that game, but that's where we start from. You have to keep building your quality and what you can improve on top of that.
"We've got to be a bit frustrated with losing and realise that's a minimum standard and we have to keep working hard."
The marked improvement from the Sale match to the Quins game can largely be put down to the attitude of the players on the pitch.
Having got that right with a few meetings leading up to last Sunday's final home game of the campaign, Baxter hopes he will not have to mention it again this week.
Even though there is nothing riding on the match for either side, the former Chiefs captain wants his players to show the same determination they did against Harlequins.
"You would like to think that we learned a bit of a lesson about what can happen if you drop off your intensity and that lesson is something that has been learned and we don't have to address again," he said.
"In many ways there's been some good things happen this season, that's what we have to make sure the season is about and not about Exeter's poor results, which is a big thing for me.
"I want the lads to go and perform well against Newcastle because I don't want to finish the season with people talking about a poor end to our season, I want people to talk about where Exeter are going and all the positive things from the last couple of years."
One of the reasons behind Exeter's drop in results this season has been that they have been unable to come out on top in the tight games.
Seven times they have lost an Aviva Premiership match by one score or less this term, which sees them sitting ninth in the standings.
Baxter thinks that is primarily due to the inexperienced players in his squad, with a whole host not used to being regular started in the top flight before this campaign.
With that in mind, he is already looking forward to next season when they will all be a year wiser.
Baxter said: "Pretty much half the squad that's played regularly this season are in their first full Premiership season. We want everyone to learn quickly, but sometimes you need to go through it to learn from it.
"If the lads who have been through it for the first time this season learn from it and we get a five or 10 per cent improvement next year, in terms of amount games won that would make a massive difference for us.
"We have to be happy with what we see happening in the future, but also be proud of our achievements in the here and now.
"We got that balance a lot better against Harlequins when there was a definite improvement in the here and now."
One of the big problems for Baxter is working out who is fit enough to feature against Newcastle after England Saxons back-rower Dave Ewers was added to the list of injured players with concussion. It leaves the Chiefs down the bare bones in the back five of the scrum.
