If every cloud has a silver lining, the Highlanders certainly found theirs among the storm-cloud that has been their 2013 season, beating the Blues 38-28.
After the bitterly southern weather took its toll on the Dunedin in the week preceding the clash, the Highlanders turned up the heat at Forsyth Barr Stadium with some fluent backline rugby and all but sealed the match by piling on 29 unanswered points within the first half hour.
There really has not been a lot to celebrate for Jamie Joseph's southern side - handling errors, a poor set-piece and a lack of execution at the breakdown has left the once thriving engine room coughing and spluttering on the side of a Dunedin street,
We were told that the revamp of the engine room would roar to life with the addition of some expensive foreign parts, supposedly the best on the market; unfortunately nobody informed Joseph these parts had passed their prime.
While the failure of some exported parts upfront have led to the Highlanders' downfall, a locally made part lurking at the back certainly has not been the spoiler that this metaphor suggests.
Ben Smith has been the standout of not only the Highlanders backline, but of all fullbacks across the country, turning heads among the many critics in New Zealand's media and the powers that be within the All Black selection panel.
The 27-year-old earned himself a lucrative four-year offer with a sabbatical clause from the NZRU, an offer made only to an exclusive group of players deemed too important for the future of New Zealand Rugby, securing them before they are lured by the large pay-packets offered by overseas clubs.
Among Smith's shiny new contract and a new All Black jersey to be worn in the upcoming three-test series against France, the Highlanders fullback bagged two tries in the win over the Blues for his birthday over the weekend.
Tamati Ellison and Hosea Gear also added their name to the score sheet; unfortunately these are names who won't be seen on New Zealand soil after this year.
While the Highlanders backs may have been the ones who cashed in, both on and off the field, a special mention needs to be made for a cog in our engine room who has been forced to take a back seat due to one of the expensive foreign parts I mentioned earlier.
Jamie Mackintosh reminded his coaches and his fans just how much the Highlanders colours mean to him with a heavy workload, leading from the front like we all know he can.
This display may have come too late in the season to build towards the playoffs, but with the coveted Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy locked away for another summer, the Highlanders' only piece of silverware will be a reminder of the night they set Dunedin alight in 2013, even if it does sit alongside a wooden spoon.
- Paul McDonald