Connacht, who ended a 29-year wait for a victory over Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday, continue to head the GUINNESS PRO12 table and are the tournament's top try scorers with 25. Their only defeat in any competition this season was by a single point in 65 at Glasgow in round 2.
Their current run of six wins in a row in the competition is a new club record and if they can make that seven on Friday it will worsen the Blues' plight.
The Welsh region have slipped to seven straight defeats in the GUINNESS PRO12, their worst run in the history of the tournament, although they have at least picked up four losing and one try bonus point along the way.
Rhys Patchell remains the league's top points scorer with 88 while Josh Turnbull's four tries make him joint top of the try scoring charts but that will be small consolation for the strugglers.
There is also action in Belfast on Friday night when Ulster face Edinburgh Rugby. The two clubs are equal on points but Edinburgh sit above their hosts in a Champions Cup qualifying place courtesy of having more wins, whilst seven out of Ulster's 23 points come from bonus points.
Ulster No.8 Nick Williams will make his 100th PRO12 appearance if selected by Les Kiss for the clash while Craig Gilroy is one of six players on top of the try scoring charts with four to his name.
For the Scottish capital side - Greig Tonks is hoping to climb the kicking charts - his 80 per cent success rate puts him third in the standings behind Dragons' Jason Tovey and the now-departed Rory Clegg.
Clegg's former employers and current champions Glasgow Warriors lie just outside the Play-Off Zone but welcome fourth placed Leinster to Scotstoun on Saturday, and a home win could see the teams swap places.
Second placed Scarlets are also in action on Saturday travelling to bottom of the table Benetton Treviso, the Welshmen may consider their task easier but they have lost to the Italian outfit on four previous occasions.
James Davies and Hadleigh Parkes both have four tries to their name while for Treviso, Jayden Hayward is third in the points scoring charts with 71 to his name.
The round wraps up with two games involving Welsh regions on Sunday; Newport Gwent Dragons hosting Munster and Ospreys travelling to play Zebre.
Aled Brew will make the 100th PRO12 appearance of his career if selected for the Dragons who lost their home record last time out and have won only two out of eight so far this campaign whilst their hosts, third placed Munster, are the complete opposite with a won six lost two record.
Ospreys have won three games so far including last time out against regional rivals, Cardiff Blues, and are beginning to progress up the table swapping eighth spot with the Dragons after last weekend's win. They must hope the trip to Italy will bring the same kind of reward.
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