Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby saw their Gallagher PREM title dreams come to an end after semi-final defeats to Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs respectively.
Northampton produced a clinical display to beat East Midlands rivals Leicester 45-31 at Franklin’s Gardens, while Exeter completed a stunning comeback from 26-10 down to edge Bath 27-26 at The Rec.
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While both Leicester and Bath showed moments of quality, neither side were able to get over the line on the biggest stage. Saints and Chiefs delivered when it mattered most, punishing mistakes and seizing momentum at crucial moments.
Both clubs can still reflect on strong campaigns, but several players failed to produce their best performances when their teams needed them most.
With that in mind, here are six players who fell short of expectations across the Gallagher PREM semi-finals.
1 Adam Radwan (Leicester Tigers)
Radwan still appears to be feeling the effects of the injury he suffered in January, and in recent weeks his performances have lacked their usual sharpness.
A lack of service may have played a part, but he was largely anonymous for much of the match and, for a player many believe should be pushing for England selection, that falls below the standards he has set.
He made several handling errors that halted potentially dangerous opportunities. The main positive was that he also kept George Hendy relatively quiet.
There is a growing sense that Radwan can be a little one-dimensional, relying heavily on his pace without consistently offering enough in other areas, although that may be a harsh assessment.
2 Santi Carreras (Bath Rugby)
The fly-half endured a nightmare start, spilling two early balls and throwing an interception that immediately handed Exeter momentum. Unfortunately for Bath, things did not improve.
The Argentine was left red-faced by Exeter flanker Christ Tshiunza, who produced a stunning right-footed step that left Carreras grasping at thin air. To his credit, he showed excellent pace to track back and deny Henry Slade after a line break, while his first three shots at goal were successful.
However, when Bath needed a calm head, Carreras failed to provide one.
With the Gallagher PREM semi-final entering its closing stages and Bath within striking distance, the opportunity was there for a drop goal that could have changed everything. An injured Finn Russell watching on would almost certainly have recognised the moment. Instead, Carreras appeared reluctant to take control, leaving Bath’s forwards to batter away through phase after phase before Exeter eventually snuffed out the attack.
Whether it was a lack of game management or a lack of confidence in his kicking game, it was a costly moment. Big matches are often decided by small decisions, and Carreras got this one badly wrong. For a player brought in from Gloucester to fill a huge void, it was another performance that raised uncomfortable questions at exactly the wrong time.
