The Stormers and the Bulls are within a sniff of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions Cup as only an extraordinary set of results will deny them passage to the round of 16.
Both need one log point in their final pool matches on Saturday to rubber stamp qualification.
The Stormers face glamour club Stade Francais in Paris, with their priority securing the best possible position in their pool which is topped by Leinster.
Had they last Saturday denied Sale Sharks a bonus point they would have had the luxury of resting key personnel this weekend.
Their visit to Paris will now have to be one of limited sightseeing.
The only way they can be denied a place in the knockouts is if they lose and fail to secure a bonus point against the out of contention Stade Francais, Leicester upset pool 4 pacesetters Leinster and Sale Sharks beat La Rochelle by a bonus point with the losers scoring four tries and finishing within seven points of the winners.
All that seems a tall order.
Sale's clash with La Rochelle is effectively a winner takes all shoot-out.
The Bulls also need just one log point from their last match in pool 1 against Bordeaux-Begles to secure their place in the knockout stages.
Should they fail to do that, another dramatic rearrangement of the stars is required to deny them qualification.
Should the Bulls flop in front of their home fans, a bonus point win for the Bristol Bears away to Connacht will draw them level with the Pretoria side on 10 points, as it will Saracens should they score four tries in a win over Lyon.
The Bulls are as good as through.
Bordeaux-Begles have already qualified for the knockout stages and may send a weakened squad south.
That, however, may put them at risk of relinquishing top spot in the pool should Lyon beat Saracens.
The Bulls will be buoyed by their success away over Bristol Bears last weekend with a relatively inexperienced team.
They will fancy their chances of bagging five points at Loftus.
As things stand, given how the draw is determined for the knockout stages, the Stormers and the Bulls are on a collision course in the round of 16.
There is a real chance neither side will be able to improve their log position and avoid each other.
In the Challenge Cup it will take some doing to knock the Sharks out of the qualifying spots in pool 1.
The Cheetahs will have to beat Oyonnax, the match between Pau and Zebre will have to produce a bonus point winner, while the Sharks will have to be denied a log point by the Dragons who would also have to overturn a points difference of 57 over the Sharks.
It will more likely snow in Durban.
The Cheetahs will qualify if they beat Oyonnax, but are likely to proceed even if they don't.
Though they are third in pool 2, the Lions have already secured a spot in the round of 16.
They host the Ospreys at Ellis Park on Sunday and will harbour serious aspirations of advancing their log position.
Montpellier, who are leading pool 2, are away to Benetton, who are second.
A Montpellier win will give the Lions the opportunity to earn second spot, but should Benetton win at home and deny the French team a bonus point, the Johannesburg team could pounce their way to top spot.
They will have to overturn a points difference of 20 points.
The round of 16 matches are scheduled for the weekend of April 5-7.
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