A guide to Connacht's potential playoff opponents, and how you can track their progress over the weekend ...

With the Champions Cup playoffs fast approaching and Connacht guaranteed a place, we naturally begin to wonder who they might face, and where. So here is a guide to all the games across the three leagues that could affect the outcome, just in case you want to tune it to a couple of them and run the rule over the potential opposition.

Friday

The weekend kicks off at 1905 on Friday when Cardiff Blues take on Zebre at the Arms Park (live on BBC Wales). An expected bonus point win here will put Blues six points clear of Connacht and a step closer to securing 7th place and a trip to France for the playoff.

If that looks all over by half time, switch over to BT Sport 1 for Harlequins v Wasps at 1945. Wasps start this one as favourites and defeat for Quins leaves them likely to miss out on the top 6 and be one of the teams in contention for 7th place. A win could help them qualify automatically, but even then they could still end up seventh.
Keep an eye on the score from Newcastle v Worcester, which kicks off 15 minutes later. Newcastle are not quite out of it yet and if Quins lose, a bonus point win for the Falcons should mean they're still in the hunt for 7th when they travel to Bristol on the last weekend.

Saturday

Saturday's action commences with a trip to France at 1345 for Castres v Toulouse (live on Canal+ Sport). Toulouse are not technically out of it but the anticipated defeat at Stade Pierre Antoine consigns them to the unfamiliar territory of the Challenge Cup, where, to add insult to injury, they may even end up as one of the bottom seeds. A win would also leave Castres almost certain to qualify automatically, thus taking two teams out of the equation for Connacht. Should Toulouse prevail, they'll both still be potential opponents. Toulouse would still be extremely unlikey to make up the ground but Castres could slip back into the firing line.

By the time that's over, Exeter will have kicked off against Northampton at Sandy Park (1500 BT Sport 2). Northampton are the favourites to take the last automatic spot and if they manage to overturn the Chiefs on their home patch, it should be job done. A more probable outcome is a win for the title-chasing Devonians as they seek a home semi-final. Saints don't really need the win to get sixth, as a home win over Quins the following weekend should see them home. A defeat for the midlanders could help Newcastle too (if results the previous night have gone their way) as it gives them a good chance of getting ahead of whichever team loses that Saints v Quins showdown.
(Ospreys v Ulster is on Sky Sports at the same time if you care who actually wins the Pro 12, but as most people of discerning taste know, winning the Pro 12 is, like, so last season.)

Time to start thinking of getting to the Sportsground now but there are a couple of interesting games about to kick off at 1730 in France.
Pau are a home to Brive, with the loser effectively out of contention. Even if Pau win, their upcoming trip to Toulon means they'll struggle to make 7th, but an away win for Brive gives them a chance when they host Castres the following week.
Meanwhile Clermont travel to the scene of their triumph over Leinster last weekend to play its normal residents, Lyon. This could be a key one as Lyon have been installed as the bookies' favourites to do a number on the Champions Cup finalists. Should they do that, they should be the likeliest team to finish seventh, with a short hop down the road the following weekend to play already relegated Grenoble in their architecturally impressive but increasingly pointless stadium. Lyon could even challenge Racing for the last automatic spot if it goes well for them. Both of those games are on Canal's Rugby+ channel, which alas they don't have in Rabbitt's, but keep an eye on the scores before kickoff in the Sportsground.

Next up is of course Connacht v Scarlets at 1935 (Live on TG4 if you can't make it in person). A win would provide a much needed morale boost going in to the playoffs. If Connacht lose, the sliver lining is that it would mean a home final if they can secure a win away in England.

Bordeaux v Toulon kicks off at about the same time (1945 Canal+ Sport). Bordeaux need a win to stay in contention for seventh. Toulon should qualify automatically but if they lose they will need to win on the last day to guarantee that.

Sunday

Wake up on Sunday morning and take in La Rochelle v Montpellier (1130 Sky Sports 4). This has absolutely no bearing on the playoffs as both teams are already qualified, but it's 1130 on a Sunday, it was after 1 when you left Rabbitt's, and the taxi back to Drumshanbo cost you a fortune, so put your feet up, have a cup of tea and enjoy the game.

After this you have about an hour and a half before the Premiership kicks off, so maybe go for a walk, cook some dinner, or if you can still remember your children's names, give conversation a go. That should take your to Bath v Gloucester on BT Sport 1 at 1500.
Mathematically, Bath can still be seventh, but it would take some strange results, starting with a home defeat to Glaws. Gloucester are the most likely English team to be in the playoff as they can claim the spot by winning the Challenge Cup as well as the less likely route of finishing seventh. If Quins and Northampton have already lost at this stage, a win puts Glaws in a good position. Bookies are not giving them much chance though, in which case they would need to beat Exeter on the final weekend to have a chance of wrapping up the playoff spot before the Challenge Cup final.

You're probably best to abandon that one at half time and switch over to Sky Sports 4 for the weekend's real grudge match, the Paris Derby when Stade Francais Paris take on Racing 92 in the Stade Jean Bouin at 1600. The term "no love lost" is thrown about all too much these days, but when one team has very recently tried (and thankfully failed) to basically buy the other, strip them down for spare parts, and chuck the remainder in the Seine, it does tend to add a bit of spice to proceedings. This could be your only chance to see Pascal Pape spear tackle Jacky Lorenzetti. More importantly, it affects who might end up representing the Top 14 in the playoff. Racing should be reasonably confident of getting into the top 6 but Stade start the game as favourites so could get ahead of Racing and push them into a pack of teams chasing 6th and 7th on the last weekend. A Racing win however, shoud see them safe (and off Connacht's radar) and consign Stade to the lower reaches of the table. Regardless of results however, Stade, like Gloucester, can render league standing irrelevant and claim the playoff spot by winning the Challenge Cup.

By now it's 6pm on Sunday and you're probably more confused than ever. Luckily enough you have tomorrow off to try and figure it all out.

Small Print

Errors and omissions excepted. Terms and conditions apply. Your home is at risk if you take out a second mortgage to book a trip to France and Connacht end up playing in England.