Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger is lamenting his side's inability to strike a key blow against the Crusaders, ultimately costing them a chance at victory.
Trailing 21-17 with 25 minutes to play, Highlanders winger Jona Nareki inexplicably delayed his pass with two unmarked men outside, before Crusaders playmaker Richie Mo'unga shut the play down with a thumping ball-and-all tackle.
That moment cost the Highlanders a second-half lead and despite Mitch Hunt kicking a penalty moments later, the Crusaders were rarely threatened after Sevu Reece's try three minutes later.
A frustrated Mauger was delighted his side were able to lock horns and compete with the three-time defending Super Rugby champions, but couldn't hide his disappointment at Nareki's brain explosion.
"We were in it for 76 minutes, six points down, and a couple of key moments through that second half were the difference," he says.
"We've got to be better there. I thought we bombed that try in the second half, with Jona not releasing the ball.
"You go potentially 27-26 up there and it's a different game, and you put pressure on the Crusaders.
"I thought we did well for long parts of the game and took more opportunities in the end, and that was the difference.
"We’re disappointed, to be fair."
By comparison, coaching rival Scott Robertson is ecstatic after a third straight win that allowed the Crusaders to leapfrog the Blues into top spot on the competition table, courtesy of a couple of extra bonus points.
Robertson admits his side were lucky to enter the final quarter in front and is full of praise for the tenacity of the opposition.
"It took everything, didn’t it?" Robertson says. “A couple of key moments at the end blew the score out, but their scramble 'D', their ability to stop our line-breaks, shut down offloads... we created a lot early, but they stayed in it."
In-form outside back Will Jordan shone again, scoring two tries, the last of which was reminiscent of a young Jeff Wilson.
Jordan received the ball in broken play inside his own half, broke a couple of tackles, chip-kicked the fullback, regathered and ran away to score right on full-time.
Robertson has hailed the talents of his young star.
"I think the last try summed it up really," Robertson says. "He’s a got a special touch and the ability to create so much out of nothing.
"He's got incredible anticipation for the game, and that turn of speed and balance is just wowee.
"He's a big kid and I think he just showed his temperament. There are not many errors in his game and he makes good decisions, and he's tough on the other side of the ball now."
Next up for the Crusaders is a top-of-the-table clash against the similarly undefeated Blues in Christchurch next weekend.
"It's [Super Rugby Aotearoa] unique," he says. "It's so short, it’s so sharp.
“All the teams are playing pretty good footy, there’s a lot of tries and they know it's for a short period of time, before Super Rugby is going to be back on again."
Meanwhile, the Highlanders will look to get their campaign back on track against the Hurricanes in Wellington.
