He was pleased to see his team heed his half-time words and find a way to win the game, proud that they were able to put their cup final defeat to Cardiff behind them, and relieved not to have to go to Sardis Road on Friday night to potentially have to win to stop Cardiff pipping them at the post.
“I am so, so elated that we don’t have to go to Pontypridd to win the league because we know we aren’t going to get much out of them,” said Merthyr head coach McIntosh.
“It was a phenomenal game of rugby, a hell of a game, and to sum it all up at the end we had the whole team driving over for the try. That’s great because we are all about the team here at Merthyr.
“We have had some unbelievable injuries this season with six props going down and it has been a long, long, tough season. They have worked their socks off all season for this and it was well deserved.
“At half time I let it go a bit. We were getting bullied and they were doing to us what we had practiced to do to them.
“They came here to spoil our party and we couldn’t let them do that. We decided to put a bit more pressure on them at the set-piece and we showed our dominance in the end in the second half.”
The last-gasp win made it seven trophies in six incredible seasons for Merthyr as they became only the third side in the 29 year history of the Principality Premiership to complete a hat-trick of titles.
Only Neath (2005-08) and Pontypridd (2012-15) with four successive titles have dominated the top tier of the semi-pro game in such a fashion as the Ironmen since they arrived at the top table in 2016.
“We have got a great squad and we have had a mental injury list this season. A big circle of players have contributed to this success,” said Locke, who played the full 80 minutes in 32 matches.
“We had two games to go and we were hoping to win the title at home in front of our own fans. We knew RGC would try to match our physicality and for long periods they did that.
“But when we turned it on we scored some nice tries although we left a few out there as well. It has been harder to win the title this year because everyone has raised their game to try to match us.
“We’ve come unstuck a few times and we didn’t want to leave it to Friday night’s game at Sardis Road to have to clinch the title.”
Merthyr had to do it the hard way as RGC 1404 pushed them to the final play of the game in a magnificent match.
The Gogs rocked the league leaders with two tries in the opening seven minutes to open up a 14 point lead.
Centre Rhys Williams powered through two tacklers from five metres out to score the first and then hooker Evan Yardley popped out of a maul 15 metres out to run unopposed to the posts. Merthyr were on the ropes, but they came back fighting and their renowned driving line-out earned a try for prop Louis Jones and Matt Jarvis converted.
Even so, RGC went into the break with a third try in the bag after great approach play by their pack allowed Billy McBryde to send wing Sam Jones flying over for another try that he converted to make it 21-7 to the visitors at the break.
Merthyr threw the kitchen sink at the north Walians at the start of the second half and Aaaron Pinches scored in the corner before making the running for prop Jones’ second score. Jarvis converted them both and the scores were level on 55 minutes.
Merthyr had the momentum, but then had what would have been a bonus-point try ruled out for offside by the TMO after Paddy McBride had crossed.
McBryde edged RGC ahead on 70 minutes with a penalty before Merthyr pulled the game out of the fire at the death.
