It’s all to play for on the final weekend of the regular season in the inaugural United Rugby Championship.
With Irish big guns Leinster assured of finishing top of the URC table, it’s all about the battle for play-off positions below them.
And there’s a golden opportunity for three of the touring South African sides to press their claims for home knockout fixtures, with the Sharks, Stormers and Bulls all in the hunt in the Northern Hemisphere.
Benetton vs Cardiff
It’s best to get this first match out of the way in the final round of United Rugby Championship fixtures, as Cardiff travel to Benetton on Friday night.
Neither has anything to play for at the end of the competition’s debut season.
The home side could at least go above their Welsh visitors into 13th position in the final standings, provided they can seal a final round victory on Italian soil.
Friday 20 May, kick off 19:00 SAST.
Ulster vs Sharks
Fifth hosts third in a tantalizing United Rugby Championship final round contest on Friday night, with South Africa’s Sharks taking on Ulster in their own backyard.
Just a point separates the pair coming into the showdown in Belfast.
And that’s not all, with a potential finish as high as second above the likes of the Stormers and Munster is still possible, amidst a nerve-jangling finish to the regular campaign.
Friday 20 May, kick off 20:35 SAST.
Ospreys vs Bulls
The Bulls have a tricky assignment away to Ospreys on Friday night as they eye one last push up the rankings in the United Rugby Championship.
Jake White South Africans are sure of play-off action in the coming weeks but still retain hopes of nicking a home knockout clash at altitude at their Loftus Versfeld fortress.
In their way stand the Welsh side with aspirations no higher than sealing the best-of-the-rest tag outside of the URC’s top eight clubs.
Friday 20 May, kick off 21:10 SAST.
Dragons vs Lions
Two sides aiming to finish their first United Rugby Championship campaigns on a high meet in south Wales on Saturday, with the Dragons hosting the visiting Lions.
It’s the tourists who are assured of a higher-placed finish in the lower half of the inaugural table, no matter what the result in Newport.
The home side are nailed on for a finish of 15th above only hopeless Zebre.
Saturday 21 May, kick off 16:00 SAST.
Connacht vs Zebre
It’s the end of the United Rugby Championship line for Connacht and Zebre on Saturday evening, as the bottom half pair meet in Galway.
The Italians will have one last dig at pinching what would be just a second win of a sorry URC season.
Victory for the Irish hosts, meanwhile, would give them a final record of nine wins and nine losses to show for their efforts.
Saturday 21 May, kick off 18:00 SAST.
Llanelli Scarlets vs Stormers
South Africa’s Stormers head to Europe knowing a healthy win away to Llanelli Scarlets could see them seal a magnificent, second-placed United Rugby Championship finish.
A slow start to life in the URC is a distant memory for the men from the Cape, who have roared into fourth place in the standings, level on points with the Sharks and Munster above them going into the final round of fixtures.
Their hosts are pushing for the respectability of a ninth-placed finish, with their play-off hopes already dashed.
Saturday 21 May, kick off 18:10 SAST.
Edinburgh vs Glasgow Warriors
It’s a derby with more than pride riding on it in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday, as Edinburgh go up against Glasgow Warriors in the final round of the regular season.
The rival pair meet in the Scottish capital locked on 50 points apiece, putting them seventh and eighth in the URC table.
With both assured of a play-off place, it’s likely a battle to see who can take advantage of any slip ups by South Africa’s Bulls above them.
Saturday 21 May, kick off 19:30 SAST.
Leinster vs Munster
We could have a phoney war on our hands in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday night, as Leinster and Munster collide at the Aviva Stadium.
The Irish pair meet in Dublin in what is a clash between first and second in the URC standings.
Hotshots Leinster are home and hosed at the top of the regular season standings, while the visitors could be overhauled by any of the four sides below them in the squabble for play-off placings.
Saturday 21 May, kick off 20:15 SAST.
United Rugby Championship predictions for this weekend
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Benetton | 45,9 | |
| Cardiff | 52,6 | 1 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Ulster | 25 | |
| Sharks | 73,9 | 1 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Ospreys | 66,2 | 1 |
| Bulls | 33,1 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Dragons | 75,8 | 1 |
| Lions | 18,2 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Connacht | 84 | 11 |
| Zebre | 11,1 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Scarlets | 49,1 | 1 |
| Stormers | 48,2 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Edinburgh | 31 | |
| Glasgow | 68 | 1 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Leinster | 69,4 | 1 |
| Munster | 27,1 |