How things stand in Pool 4 of the Investec Champions Cup ahead of the final round of pool fixtures.

The top four in each six-team pool progress to the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition, with the fifth-placed team dropping down to the EPCR Challenge Cup.

The Pool 4 log does not make for pretty reading for the Vodacom Bulls – played three, lost three, a points difference of -70, and rock bottom.

That’s what a 61-49 thumping at the hands of the Bristol Bears at Loftus does to your Champions Cup hopes, which now hang by a thread.

Bordeaux (15 points), Bristol (14) and the Northampton Saints (11) have all qualified for the playoffs. That leaves three teams – Pau (five), the Scarlets (two) and Bulls (two) – vying for the final playoff spot.

CHAMPIONS CUP POOL 1: Sharks living on the edge

Despite their dire form which now extends to seven consecutive losses across competitions, the Bulls still stand a slim chance of making the playoffs. They’ll need a good dose of luck, but more importantly, will need to conjure up a first win since the clash against Connacht way back on 17 October.

The good news is that it is a direct shootout between the Pretoria-based side and Pau, who sit in fourth position. The two teams clash at the Stade du Hameau late on Friday night. Win there, and the Bulls give themselves a fighting chance.

SQUAD: Bok duo back for Bulls’ tour

It won’t be easy, though, as Pau came good in round three with an impressive 47-38 win away over the Scarlets – their first victory in this season’s competition – to jump from last into fourth place. Bonus points and points difference could also be key in the final reckoning.

The Bulls’ fate may then come down to what the Scarlets do in their final pool game against Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens on Sunday evening.

Saints may have already qualified but it is unlikely they will give up the chance to push for home-ground advantage in the playoffs, especially since the remaining fixture in the pool pits the two unbeaten teams in Bristol and Bordeaux against each other, potentially opening the door.

The top two sides in each pool have home advantage in the round of 16.

CHAMPIONS CUP POOL 3: Stormers face Tigers shootout

Should the Bulls win on Friday night and leapfrog Pau in the standings, they will have a long and torturous wait until late Sunday.

Bulls fans, maak julle harte sterk.

Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images