Connacht v Zebre

Having overcome the Ospreys in Galway last weekend, Connacht will look to secure back-to-back league wins for the first time since early November as they take on Conference A basement-dwellers Zebre. Sitting 5th in their conference and thirteen points off third-placed Cheetahs, Connacht’s hopes of making the play-offs may be fading, but qualification for next season’s Champions Cup remains a strong possibility with fourth-placed Cardiff Blues just one point ahead of the Irish province, making a victory this weekend all the more important. Zebre may be occupying an all too familiar position at the bottom of the table but with just four points separating them from the Ospreys in sixth there is still hope they can jump off the bottom and they will travel with confidence having beaten Connacht in their last two encounters. The return of duo Kieran Marmion and Quinn Roux from Ireland’s Six Nations squad will provide some quality if needed from the bench but the hosts should have enough to secure the win. Connacht by 18

Glasgow v Cheetahs

An exciting match-up between two of the top three in Conference A as table-toppers Glasgow come up against third-placed Cheetahs. Dave Rennie’s men maintain a healthy twelve point cushion at the summit and barring an alarming slump in form will surely secure a home semi-final in the end of season play-offs. South African side Cheetahs have been one of the stories of the season as they have thrilled Pro14 fans in their debut season in the revamped competition, winning eight of their fourteen games to sit well in contention for a play-off place. Both sides will be looking to get back to winning ways this weekend, with Glasgow having been held to a 15-15 draw at the Dragons whilst the Cheetahs went down 25-20 to the Blues in Cardiff in the last round of Pro14 fixtures. Glasgow may be missing several internationals but they remain the only side to have beaten the Cheetahs away in the competition and with the visitors not enjoying much success on their travels this season, the Warriors should have too much nous for their opponents. Glasgow by 10

Ospreys v Kings

In what has been a dismal season for the former Pro12 champions the Ospreys will look to grab a much-needed victory against Pro14 whipping boys the Kings. With Ospreys coach Steve Tandy having paid the price for a poor season with the sack, interim coach Allen Clarke has the unenviable task of rebuilding the shattered confidence of a side second-from-bottom in Conference A. The hosts may have just four league wins this season, yet their opponents would kill for such a record with South African side the Kings having recorded 14 defeats from 14 games in their debut Pro14 season. With that in mind it looks very likely that Clarke will grab his first Pro14 win at the helm and for Ospreys fans hopefully kick-start an end of season renaissance. Ospreys by 26

Ulster v Edinburgh

Third meets fourth in Conference B this weekend as Ulster and Edinburgh go head-to-head in the race for the play-offs. A resounding 59-10 victory last weekend – coupled with defeats for Scarlets and Leinster – saw Ulster gain ground on the two sides above them in the table as they try and maintain their push for the play-offs. Visitors Edinburgh will travel to the Kingspan with a spring in their step following a hard-fought victory over Leinster in the last round and with just three points separating Richard Cockerill’s side from their hosts, this weekend’s fixture could be pivotal in deciding who secures that final play-off berth. With both sides missing several key men away on international duty, this could be a tight game but one I expect the hosts to just shade. Ulster by 5

Leinster v Scarlets

The pick of this weekend’s fixtures as the top two in Conference B meet at the RDS in Dublin. With both sides on 53 points sharing an identical record this season there is literally nothing to separate the two and the outcome of this match is likely to have a great bearing on who tops the conference. Leinster will be out for revenge against the side that denied them in last season’s semi-final at the same venue, whilst Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac will be hoping his side can repeat the feat and push ahead in the race to secure a home semi-final. Surprisingly given their position and form this season, both teams come into the fixture off the back of defeats and without a number of internationals due to the Six Nations. A tough one to call with both sides having good strength in depth but with former Super Rugby duo James Lowe and Scott Fardy included in the Leinster squad, the hosts might have a bit too much class for a heavily-depleted Scarlets team. Leinster by 7

Cardiff Blues v Munster

Having got back to winning ways with victory over the Cheetahs last weekend after their derby defeats, Cardiff Blues will hope to take advantage of the recent internationals by overcoming a Munster side missing key players throughout their team. 19 points and two places behind their opponents in Conference A the Blues are very unlikely to catch Munster in the table but with fifth-placed Connacht breathing down their necks for Champions Cup qualification, this is an important game for Danny Wilson’s men. Munster arrive in Cardiff in a comfortable position in the table with seven points separating them in second from the Cheetahs in third, but will hope to keep their forward momentum going and secure a third consecutive Pro14 win. The Blues will fancy their chances with a strong squad to chose from, but with Munster on a good run of form I expect the visitors to edge this one. Munster by 4

Dragons v Benetton

Having held Conference A leaders Glasgow to an unlikely draw last week, the Dragons will look to build upon that encouraging performance with a much-needed win against Benetton. Without a win in nine Pro14 matches, Bernard Jackman’s side have been on a desperately poor run of form and take on a Benetton side fresh from beating Conference B leaders Scarlets last time out. With seven wins from 14 matches this season there has been significant improvement from previous seasons for Benetton and despite a number of players missing due to the Six Nations they will travel to Newport in confident mood. With fifth-placed Benetton 18 points clear of sixth-placed Dragons, there is little but pride to play for for the hosts, who despite their poor form have often proven to be a tricky opponent on their own patch. With a number of key players returning from injury including Wales Six Nations squad member Hallam Amos, the Dragons should have enough quality to finally break their long winless run. Dragons by 9

By Jon Davies