Storm Malik's strong winds badly damaged the roof of Kingston Park Stadium throwing the Newcastle Falcons game into doubt on Saturday night.
But the efforts of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) ensured that their televised Premiership clash with Gloucester went ahead.
Crews from Gosforth and Sunderland were called on Saturday afternoon to reports that gale force winds had damaged the roof of the stadium's west stand.
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The match was due to kick off at 7pm, and televised live on BT Sport, but the damaged roof was threatening to cause a postponement as it could put the safety of supporters and players at risk.
However, firefighters managed to remove loose debris and ensured the rest of the roof was secure - enabling the match to go ahead as planned.
Now the Falcons have thanked TWFRS for ensuring the safety of all those in attendance.
Chairman Semore Kurdi said: "Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service did an incredible job in making sure that we could safely stage our fixture.
"More than 4,500 supporters were able to come and attend the game thanks to their outstanding response, and we were also very mindful of the safety of our neighbours with being based in a residential area.
"We cannot thank them enough for their assistance during what was clearly an extremely busy time, and without their intervention, our match would not have been able to take place.
"Teamwork and coolness under pressure are all qualities we are familiar with as a professional rugby team, and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service certainly exhibited those on Saturday."
Fire crews across Tyne and Wear were busy across the weekend and received 289 calls on Saturday as Storm Malik caused severe damage and disruption in the region.
They responded to overturned vehicles, damaged power lines, collapsed buildings, unstable chimneys, precarious scaffolding and fallen trees throughout the course of the day.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Peter Heath said: "The strong winds we experienced at the weekend caused significant disruption and a huge increase in the number of calls we received.
"Our fire control received 170 calls in just two hours of Saturday morning and 289 over the course of the day.
"That is way above our usual demand.
"We had to prioritise incidents where there was a risk to life but the public were incredibly patient and understood this was a challenging weekend.
"The incident at the Falcons could have put people in harm’s way and I am glad we were able to resolve that quickly and ensure the game went ahead as planned.
"What we did see was an incredible demonstration of community spirit as neighbours, volunteers and private businesses came together to support those in need.
"Our control room team and crews did a phenomenal job in ensuring the safety of residents in our region and they have remained busy, assisting with the clean-up effort.
"Weekends like this show that we will always be there when our residents need us the most and I am so proud of everyone on duty across the weekend."
TWFRS will continue to support residents across the region but anyone who has suffered damage is encouraged to contact their local authority.
