Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder says that they can still top the New Zealand conference buy added that he is not happy with the way they have been playing.

The Crusaders suffered a shock loss to Super Rugby's newcomers on the weekend but as the Chiefs also lost to the Reds the loss did not cost them much in terms of their Super Rugby standings.

Blackadder said he is still "bitterly disappointed" over his side's embarrassing 28-19 loss to the Rebels and blamed "poor execution" for the loss.

"That was probably our worst performance of the last four years."

Aimless kicking, silly penalties at critical times and "terrible decision-making" were all blamed for the loss.

"The players are under no illusions with how this game sits with us (coaching staff)," he told Stuff.

"We're disappointed; we've accepted three weeks in a row of crap rugby and it's time to really step up. "

"The preparation has been good, but when we're getting out there we haven't been able to execute it."

The Crusaders narrowly beat the Reds 15-11 in Round 11 but their less than convincing performance in that match was put down to the Reds resurgence but last week's loss to the Rebels has given them a real wake up call.

A worry for the Crusaders is that they have scored just one try in the last two matches but Blackadder says he won't make wholesale changes this week for the blues and he wants the players to play themselves out of their rut.

"That's the priority," he said.

"We've got to select a team to go out there and put a good performance on the track."

The coach was asked if he was concerned that opposition teams might have figured out their game plan but he said they could not afford to think about the opposition too much as they need to fix their own problems.

"We're not running hard, we're not clearing good ball, we're not technically doing things we said we'd do," he said.

"We've got to select a team, barring injuries, of guys that will do this jersey justice."

Even though the Crusaders have not been playing well Blackadder is positive about the Crusaders chances for the play offs.

"It's not over yet. There are still plenty of points on offer and there will be a few twists and turns to come," Blackadder told the NZ Herald.

"You look at a team like Manchester City and what they've managed to do (win the title in the final minutes of the last match of the season)."