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Bridgend coach Dennis John
"I've seen some great rugby this season."
 real 14k

BBC Wales Sport's Edward Bevan
reports from St Helens
 real 14k

banner Wednesday, 9 May, 2001, 20:35 GMT 21:35 UK
Swansea crowned champions
Swansea celebrate winning the league title
Swansea celebrate winning the league title
Richard Rees ran in a superb try treble as Swansea celebrated becoming Welsh-Scottish League champions by seeing off Bridgend at St Helens.

Rees touched down once in the first half and twice after the break to help preserve the Whites' 16-month ground record.

Bridgend made a fight of it, rallying well to get within two points of the champions midway through the second period.

But a late flurry saw youngster Matthew Brailey and Rees cross to remove any doubts about the outcome.

Three try hero Richard Rees
Three try hero Richard Rees
Rees' final try was the pick of the seven scored on the night.

Gavin Henson, who had switched from centre to fly-half, set it up, putting in a precise cross kick which Rees gathered on the fall to touch down at the flag.

Swansea had turned round 14-6 in front after a mediocre first-half blighted by fussy refereeing.

The first try arrived in the seventh minute when Henson broke, debut-making Brayley gathered and made ground and Rees sped in at the corner.

But the promising opening gave way to some less-than-inspiring play as the two sides battled for control in drizzly conditions.

Swansea pulled further ahead on 25 minutes, Rhodri Jones and Geraint Lewis combining at the base of a scrum to send over Paul Moriarty.

The visitors hit back before the interval with two penalties from full-back Gareth Cull and snatched second-half tries through Owain Lloyd and fly-half Paul Williams.

But Swansea upped the tempo to mark their title success in style.


Scorers - Swansea: Tries: R Rees 3, Brailey, Moriarty. Cons: C Rees 2. Pens: Henson, C Rees.

Bridgend: Tries: P. Williams, Lloyd. Cons: Cull 2. Pens: Cull 2.

Teams

Swansea: Payne, R Rees, Henson, Brailey, M Robinson, C Rees, R Jones, Anthony, Mitchell, Evans, L Jones, Griffiths, Moriarty, Lewis, D Thomas.
Replacements: Mason, Richards, Moore, Bater, Martens, Swales, Mackey.

Bridgend: Cull, Hill, Devereux, Funnell, Peters, P Williams, Hewlett, Price, Phillips, Griffiths, Lloyd, Clapham, Molitika, van Rensburg, Bryan.
Replacements: L Mustoe, R Mustoe, Harries, Jenkins, Niblo, S Ford.

Referee: D Davies (WRU)

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Top-flight rugby
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See also:

09 May 01 |  Welsh-Scottish Rugby
Griffiths cuts league ties
05 May 01 |  Welsh-Scottish Rugby
Swansea are champions
05 May 01 |  Welsh-Scottish Rugby
Warlow leads Bridgend into Europe
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