That is especially the case in regard to locking stocks after Nelson Dalzell was red-carded for a dangerous tackle in the last quarter at Sydney's Leichardt Oval.
The Waratahs delivered two early blows to apply pressure from the outset.
Coach Scott Robertson said: "We were on the back foot straight away, 14 points down, under a lot of pressure. Simple stuff we pride ourselves on, we didn't get quite right, and they got a lot of momentum.
"In the last 20 minutes we had plenty of opportunities and still didn't finish," he said.
It was difficult commenting on the red card suffered by Dalzell when compared to others because they were all different, and there was no clear line. But Dalzell's tackle technique would have to be better, he said.
"He's a big man, and he could have done better around it. It was disappointing for Hoops [Michael Hooper] to take a head knock. There was no malice in it but it was definitely technically poor."
Skipper, and hooker, Codie Taylor said the last two losses the Crusaders had to the Waratahs had been in similar weather conditions and not starting well.
"They played well to the conditions and started well. They scored that try straight away, they controlled the ruck really well and put the ball in the air and made it a 50-50.
"So, when it's dewy, even though it isn't raining, that's the sort of game if you don't nail those little moments, a catch or whatever it is, you're straight under pressure, and that was it in the first half.
"We struggled to get a roll on but came out in the second half and fired a few shots but didn't finish. The Tahs played well and took their opportunities and they obviously wanted it," he said.
Robertson said they knew playing Australian sides that they were a little different.
"We know how desperate they are. They're dogged sides. The Waratahs put us under that pressure cycle we couldn't get out of and hung on there.
"How do we get better? We're going to have to have a good look at our honesty, look at our weeks, look at everything. It's all there, we've just got to complete some stuff," he said.
The Crusaders play the Force next week and then the Brumbies before returning to Christchurch to play Fijian Drua.