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Chief looks forward to Ospreys challenge

21st April 2015


Forwards Coach Dale McIntosh admits he excited about the 'great challenge' ahead as Cardiff Blues prepare to face the Ospreys in a huge Judgement Day III clash at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Cardiff Blues will look horns with the high-flying Ospreys in front of a crowd in excess of 45,000 people at the national stadium.

High-flying Ospreys are pushing for top four honours while McIntosh admits Blues must play for the pride in the jersey.

However, he has vowed the motivation could not be any higher with a number of personal battles set to be played out as players also push for international honours with Wales.

“It’s a great challenge for us,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for us to pull something back from the season and give ours supporters something to cheer about and smile about.

“It has been a tough season; we haven’t played anything like we wanted to at times. We understand we have let people down and hopefully we can put a bit of that right.

“The motivation is simple. It’s about the Blues jersey and us as people.

“We are competitive people and that is why we pick up a rugby ball – otherwise you pick up a violin or play the piano. We are competitors and we want to win.

“It’s also a great opportunity for a number of players trying to get in the mix for Wales so the motivation to perform is huge.”

McIntosh insists the players are also keen to right the wrongs of the performance in Scotland with Glasgow Warriors.

He added: “Glasgow was always going to be tough away; especially given their form and position in the table. They also had two legends retiring on the night so there was a big atmosphere.

“The disappointing thing for us was how we started. We didn’t start the game like we wanted to and paid them too much respect.

“We found ourselves battling by half-time and had no choice but to come back. We need to be better than that.”