Last season’s champions host the Bridgend Ravens on Saturday in the Principality Premiership and McIntosh is full of respect for their opposition.
“We have huge respect for Bridgend, they are a very proud club and will be coming up to the Wern to topple us and we need to match their attitude, emotional control and intensity then we got a good chance of victory,” said McIntosh
“It’s a cliché but we don’t talk about winning the league at this stage of the season, we talk about consistency in our performances and if we do that, we are in a strong position to compete on both fronts.”
Merthyr have used 38 players in their last three games with McIntosh realising how much of a strain having six games in two weeks has on the squad.
“It is very tough, especially given that we are in the cup, where as our main competitors at the top only have one focus and we have two,” he said.
“The big freeze over the winter has meant we now have a congested fixture list. We made fifteen changes against Llanelli and we had a good cup affair win over a tough Pontypool.
“There are some tender bodies and we need to reassess ahead of the game against Bridgend, who are coming off a good win and will be coming up here bubbly to try and defeat us.”
Elsewhere Cardiff Rugby host Aberavon on Friday night hoping to back up their victory over second placed Carmarthen Quins last week.
Carmarthen Quins travel to Bedwas as the they hope to put more pressure on Merthyr at the top of the table. Struggling Bargoed travel to Cross keys hoping to leapfrog their opponents in the Principality Premiership. Ebbw Vale host Swansea in a mid table clash and Llanelli will be hoping to bounce back from their narrow defeat to Merthyr last week as they take on RGC 1404.
Fourth placed Pontypridd face ninth placed Llandovery at Sardis Road on Saturday before Newport take on bottom of the table Neath in Sunday’s only fixture.
Principality Premiership – 23-25th of March
Cardiff Rugby vs Aberavon
Bedwas vs Carmarthen Quins
Cross Keys vs Bargoed RFC
Ebbw Vale vs Swansea
Llanelli vs RGC 1404
Merthyr vs Bridgend
Pontypridd vs Llandovery
Newport vs Neath
