Hurricanes v Highlanders, Westpac Stadium, Wellington

19:35 local, 07:35 GMT, 17:35 EST, 17:05 CST, 15:35 WST

Head to head: Played 20; Hurricanes 12, Highlanders 8

In Wellington: Played 7; Hurricanes 4, Highlanders 3

Last clash: Round 5, 2013 - Highlanders 19 - 23 Hurricanes, at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

Preview: Not really a whole lot more than pride to be gained by either of these two teams now. The Hurricanes can still finish third in the New Zealand conference, but they're well out of play-off calculations. They're so far out of calculations, in fact, that they don't even get the "mathematical" caveat any more.

The Highlanders could perhaps finish as high as 12th if they can get their act together over the final two rounds. And New Zealanders might be inclined at this point to suggest that's not out of the realms of possibility, now that Ma'a Nonu has been suspended for three weeks and won't play in a Highlanders jersey again this season.

In theory, there's actually a lot of similarities between these two sides. Both are equally brilliant and inconsistent in attack, while in defence they can brutal in some parts and sieve-like in others. Ultimately, though, that just makes this a game all the harder to tip. In which case, you've nearly got to lean to the home side.

Tip: Hurricanes by 7

Cheetahs v Blues, Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

14:50 local, 12:50 GMT, 22:50 EST, 22:20 CST, 20:50 WST

Head to head: Played 6; Cheetahs 1, Blues 5

In Bloemfontein: Played 3; Cheetahs 1, Blues 2

Last clash: Round 7, 2011 - Blues 29 - 22 Cheetahs, at Eden Park, Auckland

Preview: Uh, this has the potential to be my banana-skin game this week. The Cheetahs are still on track to make their Super Rugby play-offs debut, but they must beat the Blues before the bye comes in the final round. A loss this weekend, though, and the Cheetahs could replicate the role played in 2012 by the Brumbies, who were also finals-bound until a final-round meltdown (against the Blues).

Should the Blues get up - not an impossibility now, given both the way the Cheetahs folded under pressure from the Stormers last weekend, and the way the Blues very nearly upset the Sharks in Durban - they will return to New Zealand for a final-round showdown with their National Highway neighbours, the Chiefs, to determine if their season extends by another week.

Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss told SuperSport in South Africa this week: "...we'll bounce back, definitely". And that's something. But if we are - or were - supposed to take their finals hopes seriously, they really should've been beating the Stormers last week. At the very least, they shouldn't have got towelled up by 25 points.

On the other hand, the Blues are still clinging to their already slim play-offs hopes, fuelled largely by gaining another bonus point last weekend against the Sharks. For them, taking four points off the Cheetahs is crucial, and will actually see them sneak back into the top six.

Everything about this game tells me the Blues have the momentum, but I've been stung mightily by the words "I find myself sniffing an upset" in the past week. A draw anyone?

Tip: Cheetahs by 5, but with very little confidence.

Southern Kings v Stormers, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

17:05 local, 15:05 GMT, 01:05 EST +1d, 00:35 CST +1d, 23:05 WST

Head to head: Played 1; Kings 0, Stormers 1

In Port Elizabeth: First match between these teams at this venue

Last clash: Round 16, 2013 - Stormers 19 - 11 Kings, at Newlands, Cape Town

Preview: I'm sorry, Stormers; I thought you already had one eye on the end-of-season trip last week, and should've realised there's really no reason to go anywhere else when you play in a city as beautiful as Cape Town. If it's any consolation, I think you're specials this week (bold, I know), and I will certainly give you a massive chance of upsetting the Bulls on the final weekend for your season.

Reports out of South Africa suggest the Stormers will be bolstered by the return of Springboks captain Jean de Villiers, who became a father for the second time while being rested last weekend. So I'm not sure how much rest he actually got. Flanker Rynhardt Elstadt and Springboks prop Pat Cilliers are also said to be returning. The Stormers have, however, lost boom flanker Siya Kolisi for up to six weeks with an ankle ligament tear.

The Kings have named an unchanged starting XV after their 48-18 shellacking in Pretoria, while lock Steven Sykes, one of their more experienced players, will come back via the bench. The Kings need all the experience they can draw on against opponents who seem hell-bent on causing as much late-season pain as possible on their rivals. Hard to see this going any way other than to the visitors. And probably by plenty.

Tip: Stormers by 21

Bulls v Sharks, Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

19:15 local, 17:15 GMT, 03:15 EST +1d, 02:45 CST +1d, 01:15 WST +1d

Head to head: Played 19; Bulls 10, Sharks 8, 1 draw

In Pretoria: Played 9; Bulls 4, Sharks 4, 1 draw

Last clash: Round 15, 2013 - Sharks 16 - 18 Bulls, at Kings Park, Durban

Preview: The Bulls have it all to play for in this clash. And being the last game of the round, they will know how the Chiefs have fared against the Crusaders, and, therefore, whether a win can see them top the overall Super Rugby ladder. Should they hold that ladder lead the following weekend, they gain the significant advantage of hosting a home semi, and a final. It's a major motivation for this game; as no team will be overly thrilled about having to travel to Pretoria for a play-offs match.

The Sharks played the classic game of two halves against the Blues last week, and, to some degree, the last-minute try by fullback Riaan Viljoen papers over their lack of lustre in the second half. A repeat dose in Pretoria will hurt them a hell of a lot more.

The Bulls are playing a style almost unrecognisable from that which delivered them three championships between 2007 and 2010. They have abundant strike power in their outside backs, and they're not afraid to turn in on at a moment's notice - as Akona Ndungane's breakout try from the kick-off against the Kings last week showed.

The Sharks don't deserve the season they've had in 2013, as beaten 2012 finalists, but it's hard to see it getting any rosier in Pretoria.

Tip: Bulls by 12

The Australian conference remains in recess for the British & Irish Lions Tour.

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