URC: All the permutations for SA teams
Three of the SA teams, the Bulls, Stormers and Sharks, remain well on track to secure strong positions in the URC knockout stage, but there is still everything to play for in the penultimate pool round.
While the Bulls have secured their spot in the top four already, all eyes will be on the Sharks, who are looking to seal a home quarter-final, as well as the Stormers and Lions, who have to win their matches with the Race to Eight in full force.
Log-leaders Leinster (67 points), the second-placed defending champions, the Glasgow Warriors (59), and the Bulls (58) are already guaranteed of home quarter-finals, but the men from Pretoria will do everything in their power in the last two rounds to sneak into second place.
A victory for the Sharks (in fourth place with 53 points), in turn, will see them cement an invaluable home quarter-final as they lead fifth-placed Cardiff by seven log points.
The Stormers (in sixth place with 45 points), in turn, could hop into fifth position if they win their match and the Bulls defeat Cardiff, while the Lions must win both their remaining matches with bonus points to keep their hazy hopes of a playoff spot alive.
Adding to the pressure on the Johannesburg-based team, defeat this weekend will shatter their chances of making the playoffs.
The Sharks will meet the 11th-placed Ospreys in Durban on Friday, while two matches will play out on Saturday – between the Bulls and Cardiff in Pretoria, and the Stormers and last-placed Dragons in Cape Town.
The Lions, meanwhile, will wrap up the action on Sunday afternoon when they host the seventh-placed Scarlets in Johannesburg.
Sharks v Ospreys
Date: Friday, 9 MayVenue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, DurbanSA Time: 19h00Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi
TV: SuperSport
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