The NSW Waratahs blew their chances and made an inauspicious Super 14 debut at ANZ Stadium, going down to a depleted Crusaders 17-13 on Saturday night.

Poor execution in attack and, when they did get it together, some superb try-saving tackles from the Crusaders backs' consigned NSW to their second straight loss in their first ever match at the Olympic Stadium.

The Crusaders, missing captain Richie McCaw and with only six players from last year's final win over the Waratahs, scored two tries to one in front of 32,469 in the Rotomahana Challenge showdown.

Adding to the Waratahs' woes, 100-game prop Al Baxter's celebration turned sour when he was forced from the field in the 31st minute with a recurrence of his calf muscle injury.

Waratahs five-eighth Kurtley Beale was again indecisive as the NSW backs struggled with their handling, and the No.10 was replaced with 20 minutes remaining.

But some miraculous last-ditch defence from Crusaders backs Ryan Crotty and Colin Slade denied a rampaging Lote Tuqiri and Lachie Turner when they had both looked certain to score in the second half.

The Crusaders led 7-0 after a first-half arm-wrestle but, after the loss of Baxter, it was loosehead Benn Robinson who stepped up immediately after the break to get the Tahs back on level pegging.

The portly No.1 made an unlikely 30m bust and had looked like going all the way before moments later picking up from the back of a ruck and diving over to get his reward.

The Crusaders went ahead by three with a 52nd minute Colin Slade penalty goal, and the Waratahs should probably have scored next after a rare 60m backline raid which took advantage of visitors fullback Leon MacDonald being down injured.

But two try-saving tackles in two phases from Crusaders centre Crotty on Turner and Tuqiri ensured the visitors clung to their 10-7 lead.

And it was a case of whatever the Waratahs did, the Crusaders did better when two minutes later the visitors went 100m and fullback MacDonald scored under the posts.

Beale got the Waratahs to within a converted try at 17-10 with a 60th minute penalty goal but was hooked by coach Chris Hickey immediately afterwards for Daniel Halangahu.

Tuqiri looked certain to score two minutes later, storming towards the line after a 30m run but was miraculously denied by a Slade try-saver, before Halangahu booted another penalty in the 65th minute for 17-13.

The Waratahs, who have not beaten the Crusaders since 2004, lost their first home game in 11 matches.

Waratahs captain Phil Waugh was unable to hide his frustration.

"If we drop that much ball, we won't win another game this season," Waugh said.

"So we've got a lot of work to do in that area."

Waugh said the Waratahs dished up some of the "worst football" imaginable.

"It's the simplest part of rugby ... it's the first thing you learn when you go down and play under-sevens down at your local clubs - how to catch and pass the ball," he said.

"And at the moment that's the thing that's letting us down, same with tackling.

"It felt like if we held onto the ball we were going to score points but we just couldn't do it."

But Waugh also said his side had been hindered in closing out its chances by questionable Crusaders tactics.

"There seemed to be a lot of Crusaders getting back on side and getting in the way of the way we wanted to play the game," he said.

Hickey had built up the clash beforehand as a pivotal one in the seasons of both teams, something he was standing by afterwards.

"I think it still is a defining game in as much, as depending on other results, we'll move down the ladder and be back in the pack," he said.

Baxter is likely to miss next Friday's clash with the Blues in Auckland, while Waugh also has a calf problem and will be checked by medical staff on Sunday.

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