With just four rounds remaining in the Guinness PRO14, the race for a place in the Final Series is heating up, with 11 teams still in contention. Leinster have already wrapped up top spot in Conference B – but everything else is up in the air. We will look at each team and what they need to do to make it to the knock-out stages and a possible place at Celtic Park in May. To kick things off, we look at the Toyota Cheetahs, currently sixth in Conference A, but still with an outside shout of making the top three. The South African team, who made the Guinness PRO14 Final Series in their first season in the Championship, currently sit sixth in Conference A, 11 points behind Connacht in third. That leaves them with a lot of work to do to make it back to the knock-out stages, with arguably only four wins from four giving them any chance. What does their remaining schedule look like? In Toyota Cheetahs’ favour is that after this weekend, they play the remainder of their games on home soil. Before then, they travel to Scotstoun to take on the Glasgow Warriors, a must-win game to have any chance of progression. The problem for the Cheetahs is that they have won just once outside South Africa this season and that is something they will have to change. If they can beat the Warriors, they finish the season with home clashes against the Ospreys, Dragons and the Isuzu Southern Kings, so if they are still in contention, there is a path to a strong finish to the campaign. Toyota Cheetahs run-in: R18: Glasgow Warriors (A) Saturday, March 23, 19:45 R19: Ospreys (H) Saturday, April 6, 16:30 R20: Dragons (H) Saturday, April 13, 18:35 R21: Isuzu Southern Kings (H) Saturday, April 27, 16:30 Who are going to be the difference-makers if Toyota Cheetahs can make it back to the Guinness PRO14 Final Series? The Cheetahs have plenty of explosive weapons, who will have to perform if they are to make it back to the knock-out stages. Rabz Maxwane is well clear at the top of the try-scorers chart with 13, five more than any other player. Who are going to be the difference-makers if Toyota Cheetahs can make it back to the Guinness PRO14 Final Series? The Cheetahs have plenty of explosive weapons, who will have to perform if they are to make it back to the knock-out stages. Rabz Maxwane is well clear at the top of the try-scorers chart with 13, five more than any other player. Elsewhere, Junior Pokomela has been a standout in the pack while Tian Schoeman offers some stability from fly-half. They are without Ox Nché, however – the promising prop is suspended until the end of the campaign following his dangerous tackle in the clash with Leinster last time out. What’s the ‘must-win’ game for the Toyota Cheetahs? At this stage, every game is a must-win game, and it all starts in Glasgow. If the Cheetahs can get a result at Scotstoun, then they do come back into contention somewhat. That is especially true when you consider how high-scoring games in South Africa tend to be. With the number of tries scored on the high veldt, there is always the chance of picking up some bonus points, so win in Glasgow and there is a chance. Can Toyota Cheetahs go all the way if they reach the Guinness PRO14 Final Series? It will be asking a lot of the Cheetahs to go all the way, particularly with their struggles to get wins in Europe so far this season. If they can make it to the Guinness PRO14 Final Series, they will have to win three successive games in Europe, an away Quarter-final, Semi-final and then the Final in Glasgow.
