WELSH PREMIER Neath take title in style

"We've got the balance right with top quality youngsters and experienced players," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"The standard is a lot higher than last season. This is a good time to be involved with Welsh rugby, especially with the Neath-Swansea Ospreys region."

Neath's success added to the Ospreys' Celtic League triumph.

"We've given our youngsters the ideal opportunity to show what they are all about," said Phillips after the Bedwas win.

"If we can bring them through in a winning environment it has to be good for the player, we want to develop winners.

"I think quite a few of them can go on to become full professionals at regional level.

Neath are a semi-professional outfit with a professional outlook Neath fly-half James Hook

"The regions have settled down somewhat, but the semi-professional level is vital to their future.

"For the Ospreys, Neath, Swansea, Bridgend, Aberavon and the rest of the clubs in the region are working closely together and that has to be positive."

Phillips' views were supported by fly-half James Hook, whose 18 points against Bedwas took his season tally to 455, breaking Lee Jarvis' club record of 446.

The 20-year-old Wales Youth man can expect to be courted by the regional outfits, with a likely further chance to dispaly his talents at this summer's Under-21 World Cup in Argentina.

"Neath are a semi-professional outfit with a professional outlook," said Hook.

"There's no secret to our success, it's just been hard work from pre-season onwards.

"We develop a lot of youngsters and hopefully a few of us will go up to the Ospreys, but I'll just take things as they come."