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'Shaking his head': Booed Louis Rees-Zammit's worst ever try proves vital for Bristol
By PA
Bristol edged out Scarlets 17-16 in the Investec Champions Cup as Louis Rees-Zammit scored a match-winning try on his return to Wales.
Two tries from Fijian number eight Viliame Mata put the Bears in command at Parc y Scarlets before Sam Costelow reduced the gap to 12-3 with a penalty.
Mata’s yellow card for catching Johnny Williams’ head with his shoulder opened the door for the Scarlets.
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Scrum-half Gareth Davies sniped over to make it a one-score game and the Scarlets had a try disallowed for a Costelow forward pass.
Costelow kicked Scarlets in front after the break, but Wales winger Rees-Zammit just about crossed in the corner as he stumbled over the line.
Louis Rees-Zammit bags his first #InvestecChampionsCup try since returning from the NFL! 🏴
Big moment in the match as it hands @BristolBears the advantage in Llanelli! 🐻 pic.twitter.com/0wHDO04tZ7
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) December 6, 2025
Rees-Zammit looked visibly annoyed after scoring the awkward try, where he slipped before extending over the line from a crawling position. The Welsh flyer – who returned from the NFL over the summer – could be seen kicking the turf and shaking his head as he trudged back to halfway, as boos from the home side echoed around Parc Y Scarlets.
“He’s shaking his head but he has scored it,” said Topsy Ojo in commentary. “And they all count, no matter how you finish them… there’s no need for that [the booing from Scarlets fans].”
A third Costelow penalty took the Scarlets to within a point and they had to settle for a losing bonus point on their return to Europe’s top competition.
additional reporting RugbyPass
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