Having been battered by Cyclone Lenzie a few weeks back, a resolute Helensburgh turned the Hurricane on Uddingston on Saturday, blowing them away in a whirlwind of tries.
One-man Tornado, Cammy Kerr - known for his ability to spout hot air - was chief tormentor, bagging four tries as Burgh tamed the meteorological storm that battered Ardencaple with torrential rain and a biting breeze.
Bizarrely, both sides tried to throw the ball around early on but thankfully, Burgh soon began to play to the conditions, keeping it tight with incisive forwards' drives off first phase and from rucks, then using territorial advantage gained to let loose the back-line.
Burgh weathered some early Uddingston attacks before striking first: the visitors were penalised on halfway and Burgh found touch, before driving a rolling maul 15 metres over the line, hooker Mark Ashdown claiming the try.
The Grizzlies stuck to the game-plan, eking out the hard yards in the pack and playing in Uddingston's 22. After 15 minutes the tactic paid dividends when from a series of forwards' drives, Cammy Kerr burrowed over, his try converted by Kyle Stevenson for 12-0.
Ten minutes later, surely a candidate for try of the season. Out of nothing, an innocuous maul near the left touchline ended with Kerr ripping the ball clear and sprinting, well, stumbling, actually sort of hirpling 40 metres clear of desperate pursuers to claim a super solo score. Half-time and Burgh deservedly led 17-0.
Soon after the restart, Burgh increased their lead. Paul Howell broke blind off a scrum and fed full-back Alex MacAuley. Neat footwork beat the first defender but with wing Craig Bowman screaming for a clear run-in, Alex elected to chip ahead. Somehow, he reached his own kick before it bounced into touch, then kept his balance enough to tightrope up the whitewash and touch down for 22-0.
Uddingston replied immediately, winning their own lineout in Burgh's 22 and mustering a barn-storming driving maul that the Greens were powerless to stop, their No.8 applying the final burst to score. But Burgh responded immediately and fine pack-play saw prop Phil Ard, who had a fine game, crash over. Paul Howell converted the try for 29-5.
Burly centre Calum O'Brien, playing his home debut, then went close with a scything run and from the ensuing ruck, Kerr breenged over for his hat-trick, with Howell kicking the extras for 36-5.
And in the closing minutes, amid a hailstorm buffeting the already drookit and bedraggled players, Kerr rounded off another rumbustious ruck, barrelling over for his fourth and Burgh's seventh try, to cap a superb all-round performance.
Credit must go to centurion locks David Calderwood and Colin Rettie - 100-years combined - and to Kerr, Ard, Sam King and Craig Calderwood who put in some shifts, while O’Brien and Michael Welch were a formidable pairing at centre.
More showings like this and Burgh could put the wind up a few teams before the season's end!
Burgh: MacAuley, Bowman, Welch, O’Brien, Fletcher, Stevenson, Howell, Jamieson, Ashdown, Ard, Rettie, D.Calderwood, C.Calderwood, Kerr (c), Alton. Subs: King, Raeside, Ramsay, Dunn.