Triple-champions Leicester moved 17 points clear in the Zurich Premiership
after strolling to victory at Welford Road.
The only present missing for the Tigers this Christmas was the trophy, but it
is probably already wrapped and waiting for delivery such is the chasm between
the club and the rest of the league who continue to trail haplessly in their
wake.
Sale coach Jim Mallinder had spoken optimistically of breaking the Tigers'
four-year unbeaten home record in domestic competition.
A capacity 16,000 crowd did see one drought ended, but it never really looked
likely to be the invincibility of their favourite team.
Instead, it was 35-year-old prop Darren Garforth who ended a 24-match run
without a try, blasting onto Harry Ellis' short pass a minute after the break.
After being outplayed for the entire second half, Sale can now concentrate on
cementing a Heineken Cup berth next term consoling themselves in the knowledge
that they will not have to meet the champions again this season at least.
With seven changes from the side which beat Harlequins last Saturday,
including Neil Back being relegated to the bench, Leicester took their time to
find the type of form which has made them peerless in the modern club game.
In the first half especially, their attack looked tame, too often relying on
the bludgeoning runner, rather than trickery from the likes of Austin Healey and
Rod Kafer.
It was Kafer's mistake which indirectly created Sale's opening try, the
visitors quickly moving the ball right from a scrum after the Australian centre
had knocked on.
But all the credit went to Jason Robinson, who finished the year in the same
flying form in which he started it, shrugging off the attentions of another
former rugby league man Steve Booth then darting off towards the home line.
He should have been challenged, but as he tried to get into position,
full-back Geordan Murphy toppled to the ground and Robinson raced home
unimpeded.
With Sale's defence looking resolute, there was a hint of a shock away win.
Predictably, it was dashed in the most brutal fashion.
Fly-half Andy Goode started the Leicester comeback with a 26th-minute penalty,
before Leon Lloyd arced across the visitors' defence and eventually found a gap
to put the Tigers in front at the break.
Sale spent the interval steeling themselves for another mighty effort - and
were immediately swamped.
Garforth charged onto Ellis' short pass from the base of a ruck a minute after
the restart and burrowed over for his rare score.
Murphy made up for his earlier error by splitting the Sale cover from 15
metres, then Booth sped over to bring up the bonus point.
In between, Booth landed a drop-goal, Goode scored and missed a penalty, and
added two out of three conversions.
Sale's only reply came through Charlie Hodgson, who landed a penalty on
virtually the only occasion the visitors entered Tigers territory.
There was still time for a brilliant piece of quick thinking from Healey,
denied a try but determined to steal the limelight.
He shaped to kick to the right touchline with a last-minute penalty, switched
his body angle and launched it towards the left.
Booth flew down his wing and rose to collect for what would have been a simply
astonishing score, even by Leicester standards.
Instead, the ball slipped from his grasp. It seems they are not perfect after
all.
Within a minute of the restart, Leicester had extended their advantage from the
most unlikeliest of sources.
Dorian West had driven to within five metres and as Leicester continued the
advance, Sale were forced to defend under the own posts.
With the ruck formed virtually on the line, scrum-half Harry Ellis looked for
a runner and found veteran prop Darren Garforth on the charge, the 35-year-old
plunging over for his first try in 25 games.
Goode converted, but missed a 40-metre penalty attempt shortly afterwards
although, with Sale now on the back foot, it seemed only a matter of time before
the floodgates opened.
Healey's fragile temper snapped as he tried to reach Lloyd's chip, the
controversial England man catching Elliot with a couple of haymakers in the
belief he had been blocked.
The capacity home crowd were denied the kind of pushover try they love when
Sale twice infringed on their own line, but after Healey had again been stopped,
Ellis moved the ball left and Murphy split the cover for his side's third try.
Goode missed the conversion, which allowed Hodgson to reduce the deficit to 10
points with a long-range penalty, although Goode's reply was immediate.
Teams
Leicester: Murphy, Healey, Lloyd, Kafer, Booth, Goode, Ellis,
Rowntree, West, Garforth, M. Johnson, Kay, Moody, Kronfeld,
Corry.
Replacements: Smith for Goode (66), J. Hamilton for Ellis (54),
Nebbett for Rowntree (70), Cockerill for West (70),
Balding for Moody (70), Back for Corry (60).
Not Used: Gelderbloom.
Tries: Lloyd, Garforth, Murphy, Booth.
Cons: Goode, Murphy.
Pens: Goode 2.
Drop Goals: Booth.
Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Baxendell, Deane,
Elliott, Hodgson,
Redpath, Yates, C. Marais, Turner, Fullarton, Giacheri, Lines,
Pinkerton, A. Sanderson.
Replacements: Shaw for Baxendell (61),
Titterrell for C. Marais (57), Black for Turner (67),
Wilkes for Giacheri (56).
Not Used: Dickens, Going, C. Jones.
Sin Bin: Pinkerton (72).
Tries: Robinson.
Cons: Hodgson.
Pens: Hodgson.
Att: 16,250.
Ref: Tony Spreadbury (RFU).
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