If Quins had to learn some harsh lessons in defeat at Wasps last week then Exeter Chiefs delivered another telling lecture at the school of hard knocks on Saturday.

Henry Slade starred for the visitors' as he collected 27 points - including a try - to go with a try from Ben White as Quins crashed 32-21 at the Stoop to slip to ninth in the Premiership table.

Despite tries from Matt Hopper and Nick Evans it was Exeter's impressive tackle count that ultimately meant director of rugby Conor O'Shea's men slipped 10 points adrift of fourth place and nine points off a place in the top six.

And Chiefs coach Rob Baxter, who saw his side move fourth in the table, admitted it was only his side's strength of character that kept their noses in front in the second half. 

"We talked before the game and said it would be a test of character and what we need the players to do individually and collectively was show that character," he said after watching his men reduced to 13 men in the first 10 minutes due to yellow cards for Ian Whitten and Phil Dollman.

"We have got bags of it in the team and we said to just go out there, let it shine and we'll take what comes. 

"Dealing with those 13 minutes in the way we did almost told the story of the game because although we gave away some points, we really battled through it, and we defended numerous times on our line."

Baxter added: "We almost grew in strength as the game went on. When you are in the thick of it there were some hairy moments, but the way we fought and fought and fought was great.

"Our tackle count for our defensive display must have been outstanding. If you look at the end when they had a scrum with a minute remaining, it would have been easy to go soft, but we drove them back at the scrum, drove them up the field and Dave Ewers won another turn over.

"Those 30 seconds summed us up. We looked like a team that was not going to get beaten and that is an incredible quality to have.”

Quins have only one win in their past six games in all competitions and head to Northampton Saints on Friday night.