Todd Blackadder is still simmering.

Unable to bottle his frustration when reminded of Conrad Smith's two tries during last Saturday night's 23-22 defeat to the Hurricanes, Crusaders coach Blackadder questioned why referee Bryce Lawrence botched the calls.

Julian Savea blocked Tom Taylor from preventing Smith scoring his first try. Canes lock Jeremy Thrush was in Luke Romano's way in the lead-up to the second.

The first warranted a penalty for Savea running obstruction but Lawrence missed it. Television match officials can only comment on whether the ball has been grounded, not on the buildup. "To me that was not a try. If there was a TMO like rugby league, they wouldn't have allowed it," Blackadder said.

"Even the second one [was dubious], when they had a guy in our defensive line as obstruction. But we weren't quite on song and put our hands up and took responsibility for what wasn't a very accurate performance."

Sanzar referees boss Lyndon Bray couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.

Blackadder didn't speak to Lawrence after the match but it is understood he later had a robust discussion with Bray.

"There were two tries that shouldn't have been allowed for a start," Blackadder fumed. "Those things, they hurt you and they kill you." Steve Walsh will control Friday night's match between the Crusaders and Chiefs in Hamilton. Lawrence is listed as the television match official.

Now the Crusaders are working on disabling the Chiefs' defensive screens, which have the fingerprints of former All Blacks coach Wayne Smith all over them.

- © Fairfax NZ News