Rugby: We tripped at the last hurdle, says Carter

Reds halfback Will Genia breaks away to land a try and break the deadlock. Photo / Getty Images

For the beaten Crusaders, pride comes after the fall.

As they disembarked from flight NZ202 yesterday, completing their epic 100,000km-plus journey, they were still ruing the 65m free ride they gave to Reds halfback Will Genia.

In time, however, first five-eighths Dan Carter says they will get some perspective back.

"We were getting a lot of accolades before the game, so no matter what happened the people would be proud of us back home," Carter said. "But we knew we were never going to be happy unless we won, so there were some sorry boys in the changing room.

"We got so close and gave ourselves a chance but unfortunately we [tripped] at the last hurdle. As time goes on, we'll look back and be extremely proud of what we've achieved this year."

Carter scored a nice solo try in the first half, but was one of a number of Crusaders whose game was marred by errors, unforced and forced. With a lineout that imploded and a breakdown they couldn't control as they usually did, Carter endured a frustrating night that seemed to affect his outsides, the back three of Zac Guildford, Sean Maitland and Tom Marshall in particular, who each had his poorest game of the campaign.

"Our set-piece wasn't the best, so we couldn't get into our formations and structure.

"It was a frustrating night, a loose, unstructured night," Carter said.

He was not the only big name to make uncharacteristic mistakes. All Black captain Richie McCaw struggled in his second game back from a nagging foot injury.

The uncomfortable truth was that McCaw looked off the pace all night, beaten on the ball by combative flanker Beau Robinson, making turnovers and unable to impose his influence.

His most effective fend of the night was to swat away questions about whether his foot was still bothering him.

Asked if he was 100 per cent fit, McCaw said: "Yes. I'm just lacking a bit of match fitness and getting my rhythm right."

He was at a loss to explain his side's error rate, eventually putting it down to the Reds' pressure.

"That's what happens in these games. If you don't get it quite right you come second.

The Reds beat the Crusaders using a blueprint you can expect teams to throw at the All Blacks in October.

Ewen McKenzie said the average number committed to a Super rugby breakdown was three. They were using five players.

"When you've five or six people at each breakdown, it doesn't leave you much to attack with," McKenzie said. "It meant there was going to be more kicking. This year's about the breakdown."

His opposite believed they had their game plan right, but not the implementation of it.

"It was one of those games where we didn't execute. We had some opportunities," coach Todd Blackadder said. "I don't want to make excuses. It's been tough, but it's been tough all year.

"I'm really proud of this team. I don't think anyone could have done what we've done to get to this point. It doesn't change what I feel about this team just because we didn't get the right result."