Crusaders fly-half Dan Carter does not believe a drastic overhaul of tactics is required for the team to rediscover winning ways in the Super 14.
After a commanding opening-round victory at home against the Highlanders, the Crusaders were brought back to earth with a 41-20 loss to the Reds in Brisbane last Friday night and Carter said today he could not recall any of his previous 70 matches for the Crusaders where they were so far off the boil.
The Crusaders meet their first South African opposition, the Sharks, in Christchurch on Friday night and Carter wants the team to eliminate the basic errors they made against the Reds.
"There's no way you can get your game going when you're dropping the ball and making so many forced an unforced errors - it was extremely frustrating," he said.
"And we were sending too many players into the rucks and being caught short on defence, hence the Reds opened us up many times.
"We're not looking at making excuses for our game, we really are after solutions and we will be looking for those at training today so we can move forward."
Carter said the loss had hurt the Crusaders' pride.
"We're an extremely proud side and have really high standards which we didn't meet at the weekend," he said. "We're still confident in ourselves and that we can turn it around this weekend."
The New Zealand fly-half and most capped Crusaders back in the present squad said the onus was on the leaders within the team to lift the spirits and the performance.
"I'm one of those leaders. It can be tough coming off a game like that [loss to the Reds] so it is important the leaders lead well this weekend and get the boys' heads up and remain positive," said the 27-year-old.
Carter said he was surprised the star-studded Sharks had started their campaign with successive losses - a fact that would make the Crusaders' task on Friday that much harder.
"They're a quality side as they've shown in the Super 14 in the last couple of seasons so for them to start with two losses means they'll have their backs against the wall and be determined to change that this weekend," he said.
Carter said he was unaware that former England fly-half Andy Goode, who had been playing for French club Brive, had accepted a short-term contract with the Sharks and was tipped to start against him.
"That's news to me. I did play against him in one of the few games I played [for Perpignan] in France," he said.
"He's an experienced player and a great kicker of the ball who reads the game well. It will be a bit of an adjustment for him to play our [Super 14] style but I'm sure he'll be able to adapt."
The Crusaders are likely to start All Blacks, lock Brad Thorn and prop Wyatt Crockett, for the first time this season while New Zealand captain, flanker Richie McCaw, is expected to be named on the bench when the team is released on Wednesday.
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