Wednesday 17 May 2017 12:23, UK
With an action-packed weekend of rugby union ahead, we take a look at the pick of the matches shown live on Sky Sports including Chiefs' clash with Crusaders and Munster versus Ospreys.
Friday's action kicks off with a Super Rugby grudge match as table-topping Crusaders take on second-placed Chiefs in Suva. The Crusaders go into the match, live on Sky Sports 1 from 8.30am, on the back of a 20-12 victory over the Hurricanes, extending their unbeaten run to 11 matches. However, in the corresponding fixture last season it was the Chiefs that came out on top, controlling possession to run out 23-12 winners at a wet ANZ Stadium.
As the business end of the Northern Hemisphere season rolls into town the big matches continue, with a double-whammy of knock-out rugby for you on Sky Sports.
In the first of the weekend's Guinness PRO12 semi-finals, three-time champions Leinster face an in-form Scarlets, live on SS1 from 7.30pm.
The West Walians head to the Irish capital with five straight wins under their belt, their last defeat coming against Saturday's opponents at the RDS at the beginning on March. Leinster ran out comprehensive winners that day, putting 45 points on Wayne Pivac's side, but the Scarlets will be looking to right their wrongs and make history against the Irish province by becoming the first PRO12 side to win an away semi-final.
Elsewhere, the 'barrages' stage of the Top 14 kicks off with Toulon welcoming Castres to the Stade Felix Mayol - kick off 8.00pm, live on Sky Sports 5.
These two share the spoils when it comes to season's head to head, Castres ran out 34-17 winners at home in Novemeber, but it was Saturday's hosts that took the points in their most recent meeting in April. These two are no strangers when it comes to facing each other in high-intensity encounters either, facing off in both the 2013 and 2014 Top 14 finals, once again taking one apiece.
The action continues on Saturday where Montpellier and Racing 92 fight it out for the chance to take on La Rochelle in the final four. Racing 92 may be going into this fixture as reigning champions but it will be far from an easy task for Dan Carter's side, who suffered a 54-3 drubbing by Montpellier on 22 May.
The pick of Saturday's Super Rugby action comes courtesy of the Lions v Bulls which kicks off at 4.15pm live on Sky Sports 5, and in the second of the Guinness PRO12 semi-finals, Munster face the Ospreys.
Since the start of the Guinness PRO12 play-offs in 2010, the Ospreys have featured in four of the semi-finals, three of which have been against Saturday's opponents Munster, and will be looking to add to their won-two-lost-two record when they travel to Thomond Park on Sunday.
However, they will go into the clash as underdogs with Rassie Erasmus' men proving to be a formidable outfit this year losing just three PRO12 encounters all season and just once at Thomond Park.
