1. A data communications network, comprising: an end station; a data communications ring configured for spatial reuse; and first and second bridges coupled to the ring, the first bridge also being coupled to the end station, wherein the second bridge is operative (1) to learn an association between the first bridge and the end station, and (2) upon receiving a packet destined for the end station: (i) to forward the received packet as a broadcast transmission on the ring in the event that the association between the first bridge and the end station has not yet been learned, and (ii) to forward the received packet as a unicast transmission to the first bridge on the ring in the event that the association between the first bridge and the end station has been learned.