Prem Rugby's derby weekend returned with a bang as England's fiercest rivalries took centre stage in round four.
Anticipation was high for this weekend's Prem fixtures, with grounds across the country filled to the brim with expectant fans in harsh conditions.
Those conditions, which saw heavy rain and winds of up to 80 mph, played key roles in the outcomes of sporting competition in Britain and Ireland, with the Prem suffering the same fate.
In round three, Northampton and Bath played out a 71-48 contest, drawing interest, praise and criticism all in equal measure. Storm Boelo, however, ensured that a repeat would not be possible this weekend.
Surprisingly, all five matches were won by the home sides this weekend, with only one away side scoring more than seven points, leading to some shock results.
With all that in mind, let's take a look at five things we learned from this weekend's derby action.
Red Bull revolution finally breaks ground as Wade breaks record to sink Sanderson's Sharks
Newcastle Red Bulls 17-3 Sale Sharks
Having threatened to earn a result in each of the last two rounds of Prem action, Newcastle Red Bulls headed into their Friday night derby clash with Sale Sharks full of a level of confidence not normally associated with a side that had failed to win any of their opening three matches.
In contrast, Alex Sanderson's Sharks made the journey North East lacking belief in a result, despite already winning two of their league matches at that point.
With the conditions in the North of the country particularly bad, a turgid, low-scoring affair was expected and the match delivered on that promise.
Up to this point, the Red Bulls had fronted up well in the pack, matching both Leicester and Exeter for power up front, but lacked the flair and ability out wide to really hurt their opposition.
Friday's wet and windy contest allowed their forwards dominance to show and - with a record-equalling Christian Wade try - Newcastle earned their first win of the new campaign. One which they will hope can be the springboard for further success this term.
For Sale, questions continue to be asked about the future of their head coach, with Sanderson's tactics and results as Sharks boss below expectations.
Gloucester make statement of intent against bumbling Bath
Gloucester Rugby 23-5 Bath Rugby
After a flying start to the new season, which saw them win their opening two matches, Gloucester found themselves in a position that very few predicted they would be in - though we did tip the Cherry and Whites for a big season in our bold predictions for each Prem club article...
The Cherry and Whites then fell to a disappointing defeat at Welford Road in round three, before opening their European Rugby Champions Cup campaign with a stunning 36-36 draw against defending champions Bordeaux.
Following the defeat against the Tigers, some questioned whether or not the start to the campaign had been a flash in the pan, rather than real signs of things to come, but George Skivington's side dispelled those thoughts in some fashion this weekend.
A comfortable, dominant win over their rivals has firmly put the cat amongst the pigeons in the West Country, with fans, pundits and clubs across the division now surely set to take the Cherry and Whites seriously this term.
For Bath, back-to-back defeats in the Prem - losing 71-48 to Northampton in round three - begin to show some worrying cracks for Johan van Graan's expensively assembled side.
Given the quality of players in the Blue, Black and White's squad, it is almost certain that they will turn their fortunes around this campaign, but their early season performances do present some worrying patterns.
Pollock the pantomime villain as Saints suffer second half collapse in Leicester
Leicester Tigers 28-7 Northampton Saints
Nothing quite summed up the absurdity of Henry Pollock and his pantomime villain antics quite like the half time scuffle on Saturday afternoon.
Heading into the break, Northampton led 7-3 on enemy soil, having defended astutely - without dominating the match.
However, on the stroke of half time, Alex Mitchell sparked a skirmish between the two sets of players, which was exasperated by the ever-involved Pollock, who ended the half being pushed down the tunnel by Leicester captain Ollie Chessum.
This seemed to galvanise the hosts and the home crowd, with the Tigers re-emerging from the interval a completely different outfit.
25 unanswered points followed - including four tries - as Geoff Parling's side ran away with the match by the end, making use of their superior pack in the conditions to earn victory.
While few can argue with Pollock's ability on the pitch - as well as the importance of his personality and prominence off it - occasions and moments like Saturday's contest highlight the drawbacks to his antics.
Bears show ability to adapt in tough conditions as Chiefs struggles continue
Bristol Bears 20-7 Exeter Chiefs
The Prem's great entertainers, Bristol Bears have always faced criticism and question marks over their ability to adapt their game when conditions and match states dictate.
Under Pat Lam, the Bears have consistently dazzled with their quality and running rugby, while leaving a lot to be desired with game management and match intelligence.
However, Saturday evening's contest against Exeter displayed a willingness to play the conditions, with the Bears offering a strong forwards performance, coupled with a smart kicking game - two things you would never usually associate with Lam's outfit.
This was aided by a poor Chiefs display however, with Rob Baxter's side looking a shell of that which made a late dash to the Grand Final last term.
The Chiefs are seemingly missing the x-factor quality lost over the summer - mainly through the departure of Len Ikitau - but are also looking uncharacteristically weak up front.
Injuries will certainly be playing a part in Exeter's frailties, but - with the quality available in the squad - there are no excuses for the run of form that the Chiefs are currently on.
Quins humble sorry Saracens to win "cup final"
Harlequins 33-15 Saracens
This one will have felt extra sweet for those of a Harlequins persuasion.
Amid their current marketing push, Saracens - who have nicknamed themselves 'The Original Club of North London' - have repeatedly poked fun at opposition sides via social media, in this case branding Sunday's match as the Quins' "cup final".
Their online antics had backfired by full time - as they have done on numerous occasions this season - with their final score graphic joined only by "Defeat at The Stoop" on their X page.
Still, it would be unfair to allow this to overshadow what was an impressive and vital win for Harlequins, who started the day six points adrift at the bottom of the Prem table and nine points behind Sunday's opponents.
Now, despite still propping up the table, Quins are just one point off Exeter and Newcastle in the standings, with some hope that they can turn their torrid run of form from the last 18 months around.
For Saracens, their heavy rotation ahead of this fixture has been the subject of significant criticism from their supporters, with some suggesting that they didn't show their opponents enough respect in their team selection.
With all the off-the-field headlines being created by Brendan Venter and his club, it's important that Saracens don't lose sight of succeeding on it.
