Kieran Read could barely control his frustration.

Having watched his side blow a nine-point lead in their heartbreaking 29-28 loss to the Hurricanes, the Crusaders captain last night demanded his players control their discipline and decision- making ahead of next weekend's match against the Bulls at AMI Stadium.

"We just didn't show enough composure and gave away too many penalties," Read said.

Both goal kickers - Dan Carter and Beauden Barrett - were in deadly form with their kicking.

Neither missed a shot but it was Hurricanes playmaker Barrett who killed the Crusaders by slotting six penalties and a conversion.

"I think we are pushing the boundaries too much," Read said.

"The accuracy has got to come along with the enthusiasm and we are not getting that balance right at the moment."

No 8 Read was also fingered by television match official Glen Newman as the culprit who knocked on in a ruck before Matt Todd scored what the Crusaders believed was a try. Had the match been played under last year's regulations the try would have been awarded because the TMOs were only allowed to assess movements over the tryline.

Now they are able to search back two phases, and when Read's fumble was spotted the Crusaders were denied the chance to close the game out.

Instead of being up by 14 points they watched the Hurricanes clear their lines from the ensuing scrum and grab an unlikely victory.

Read said he had not seen the replay of his fumble.

"Certainly it didn't feel a knock- on - but if you slow it down, you will find something, won't you," he said.

Read was also unimpressed to look up and see Adam Whitelock fire his intercept pass into Alapati Leiua's breadbasket.

"It's tough from a forward's point of view when you win good ball . . . maybe the decision-making wasn't where we needed to be - six points up and nine minutes or so to go.

"But it happens and they were good enough to capitalise on it."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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