Matt O’Connor says consistency will be a prime target for Leicester Tigers when the players return to action in the 2018/19 season.

Tigers missed out on a place in the Aviva Premiership semi-finals this season, but O’Connor says there were more than enough examples of what the team can produce at their best during the campaign.

“It is very disappointing not to be playing semi-finals and finals rugby because we have beaten everybody above us – we’ve beaten everybody in the top four,” said the Tigers head coach.

“There is a lot of talent in that dressing room and we’ll have some more next year. But we have to be more consistent.”

Wins over Bath at Twickenham and at Sale Sharks in the last round of the league season, as well as the home win over Exeter Chiefs and the seven tries against European Cup visitors Castres Olympique were among the stand-out performances in the season, but O’Connor knows there is more to come from the squad.

“We know how good we are and where we ended up is really disappointing from that perspective,” he said after a fifth-place was confirmed with a bonus-point victory over Sale at the AJ Bell Stadium.

“It’s a good group, but we started the season with genuine ambitions of lifting a trophy and that hurts.”