Sevu Reece scored a hat-trick as the Crusaders thrashed the Melbourne Rebels 52-26 on Saturday but the unbeaten New Zealanders still look like missing out on the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final.
The Super Rugby Aotearoa champions needed to earn a bonus point and beat the Rebels by more than 33 points at Leichhardt Oval to edge above the Highlanders in the standings but they were stymied by the winless Australians.
The Crusaders will now need the Blues to slip up when they take on the Western Force at Eden Park later on Saturday to make the final against the Highlanders.
The visitors moved to within seven points of their target with seven minutes left to play but were unable to snatch a ninth try which, with a conversion, would have booked them a spot in next Saturday's title decider.
The Crusaders thought Leicester Fainga'anuku had scored a try five minutes from the final whistle but the referee decided the big winger had got over the line with a double movement.
"Heading into this game, we knew what we needed to get," said All Blacks winger Reece.
"It was a good game ... we'll take the win, but a lot of heads are down, a lot of not so happy boys."
The 10-times Super Rugby champions made a blistering start and were four tries to the good inside 21 minutes after Mitchell Drummond, Will Jordan, Fainga'anuku and Reece had all crossed.
Fullback Jordan was shown a yellow card in the 27th minute to stall their progress and centre Braydon Ennor dropped the ball cold with the line at his mercy just before halftime.
Two more five-pointers from Reece and tries from prop Oliver Jager and Ennor kept the scoreboard moving in the right direction but the Rebels pegged the Crusaders back with scores from Glen Vaihu and Frank Lomani.
"A little bit disappointing when you don't quite get there," said Crusaders skipper Scott Barrett.
"Hopefully the Force will do a job for us."