Bowral Blacks put a forgettable season behind them and salvaged some self-respect with a gritty 24-5 disposal of cellar dwellers Camden at Camden Rugby Park on Saturday.

An inspired Blacks’ pack threw caution to the gale force wind, battering the opposition into submission and laying the platform for a sparkling backline performance.

Running into a stiff breeze and a spirited opposition, the Blacks were simply better drilled, with superior drive forward and control winning the day.

A relieved Blacks coach Chris Krebs claimed his team had a lot to play for coming into the match.

“The boys showed today that they’ve got pride in the Bowral jumper and in themselves,” he said.

“We’re definitely all pumped about winning this match because we haven’t won here in four years.

“We just played it through the forwards which is our strength and the backs also defended well.

“It was an all round solid team effort.”

The howling wind called for good controlled rugby but the Blacks chanced their hand early and a turnover resulted in Camden centre Ricky Halse sprinting away to give the home side an early 5-0 lead.

But the Blacks struck back strongly after Ricky Krebs crashed over on the end of a textbook rolling mall close to the line to square the match up.

The physical nature of the clash nearly boiled over a number of times in the first half as the game developed into a real arm-wrestle.

But dominating the lineouts and maintaining possession put the Blacks in the box seat and pacey wingman Trent Rengger rammed home the advantage with a try under the posts at the 30 minute mark.

Flanker Bob Payne gave the Blacks a healthy 19-5 half time lead, crashing over for a hardy five-pointer shortly after.

With a monster breeze at their back for the second half, it looked like the Blacks would come home with a wet sail but in its last match of the season and with a vocal crowd on hand, Camden had other ideas.

The home side came out with renewed purpose and dominated possession for most of the second term.