While the four South African franchises are in very different positions on the United Rugby Championship log, they all have a common goal as the Race to the Eight intensifies - to make the most of the last stretch.
With four rounds (including this one) of league action remaining, the Bulls (third) and the Sharks (fourth) look to remain in the top four with the greater goal of securing home quarter-finals, while the 10th placed Stormers and 14th placed Lions will aim to close in on the teams above them on the standings and move into the top eight.
The Lions and Stormers need home wins to stay in the hunt for play-off spots, while the Bulls and Sharks are aiming to cement their top four spots on the road. We look at the permutations for Round 15 and what's at stake for the SA sides.
Edinburgh vs Sharks (Friday, 20h35)
The Sharks have reason to be confident given the Bok boost they'll receive in Eben Etzebeth, Grant Williams, Lukhanyo Am, and Aphelele Fassi. The fact that they're four log positions above Edinburgh and have secured three more wins in their 14 matches should be another confidence booster.
Eighth-placed Edinburgh, on the other hand, will also have their tails up after coming off European Professional Club Rugby Challenge Cup (EPCR) victories over the Lions and the Bulls in the quarter-final to book a semi-final berth.
A Sharks win will ensure that they finish in the top four as the gap between fourth and fifth will then simply become unrealistic to chase with three games to play.
Lions vs Bennetton (Saturday, 13h35)
The Lions will be desperate to turn their season around and claw their way up the points ladder.
While their season started strongly with four wins on the trot, they are now languishing in 14th place.
The Johannesburg side have managed just two victories since then while suffering eight defeats. While coach Ivan van Rooyen has frequently spoken about their top-four ambitions, that is now well out of reach. They do still, however, have a slight chance of cracking into the top eight. For that to happen, a win this weekend is non-negotiable, while other results going their way will also help.
Luckily, they only have home games to come, so a win over Benetton, which would lift them to 34 or 35 points, could set them up for their first top-eight finish, granted they win their remaining games.
Stormers vs Connacht (Saturday, 16h00)
The Stormers are only two points ahead of their opposition and will look to make the most of their home-ground advantage.
John Dobson's group are coming off a two-week break after missing out on the Challenge Cup knockouts. Connacht, meanwhile, suffered a narrow defeat against Racing 92 in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final last weekend.
The Stormers' task can also be made easier by the Sharks, as a win for the Durbanites over Edinburgh will set back the currently eighth-placed team and provide a boost for the Stormers, who are two places behind the Scots (but just one point behind them - 36 points against 35).
Munster vs Bulls (Saturday, 18h15)
Both teams will want to orchestrate a comeback after their Challenge Cup quarter-final exits last weekend.
Like the Sharks, the Bulls also just need a win to solidify a top-four finish. But by no means can Jake White's charges go into this encounter all cushy.
While they have an eleven-point buffer over their opponents, they will need no reminding that a defeat could jeopardise their home quarter-final plans. That becomes an especially-vitals bit of information to remember considering their tough upcoming tour against defending champions, the Glasgow Warriors, next weekend.
