Crusaders slump to second straight Super Rugby defeat in 10-year first
The New Zealand powerhouse are gunning for an eighth straight title but look a shadow of their former selves under Rob Penney, who replaced Scott Robertson as coach when he left to take over the All Blacks.
They crashed 33-29 to Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton last week to open their title defence and fared no better against the Waratahs in Melbourne, where all six round two games are being played.
The Crusaders have a new-look team this year after playmaker Richie Mo'unga and veteran lock Sam Whitelock departed overseas and their lack of experience showed, conceding 16 turnovers and nine penalties.
"We just lacked a wee bit of execution," said Crusaders skipper Scott Barrett.
"When you're not clinical and you're gifting freebies to the 'Tahs, they'll punish you and that's certainly what they did tonight."
The Crusaders are also without All Blacks winger Will Jordan, who is sidelined for the entire season after shoulder surgery, while British and Irish Lions full-back Leigh Halfpenny is out with a torn pectoral muscle.
"We've had a few injuries but we've got to move forward as a squad and really back the next guy in," Barrett said.
"We've had a bit of a slow start to this competition and we're hurting at the moment. We'll reflect on tonight and where we need to be better."
The Crusaders had lost just three times in their last 38 games against Australian sides heading into the match, with all those defeats against the Sydney-based Waratahs.
The Waratahs, who lost their season opener against the Queensland Reds, didn't start well, conceding a try after 90 seconds.
However, they began playing with confidence and took advantage of poor Crusaders discipline.
Three successful penalties from Tane Edmed and tries from Hugh Sinclair and Harry Wilson sent them to the break with a 23-10 lead.
Winger Sevu Reece dotted down for the second time to keep the Crusaders in touch but two more tries from Triston Reilly and Jake Gordon sealed the match for the 'Tahs.
Edmed contributed 17 points with the boot.
In an earlier match, Moana Pasifika hung on to score their first win over Fijian Drua since both sides were admitted to the competition in 2022.
But they did it the hard way after racing 36-15 clear. Infringements saw them reduced to 13 men, which allowed Drua back into the contest before Pasifika prevailed 39-36.
Both sides scored five tries and kicked four conversions, with the difference ultimately boiling down to Moana nailing two penalties to Drua's one.