Leicester began life after Dean Richards in tentative fashion with a tense
draw in dreadful conditions at Edgeley Park on Friday.
The Tigers lost more ground in their increasingly desperate bid to claim a
Heineken Cup spot - while Sale ended their three-match losing run to climb back
into the top half of the Zurich Premiership table and probably emerged the more
satisfied side.
Coach Jim Mallinder, whose own position looks increasingly tenuous, will have
been delighted with the debut of American fly-half Mike Hercus who slotted
effortlessly into Charlie Hodgson's role with an assured performance.
The Sharks, who also gave a debut to Australian forward Hugh Perrett, ought to
have made more of the possession won by the hugely impressive Chris Jones at the
line-out. But the Tigers forwards were more effective in the loose, where new
assistant coach Neil Back naturally revelled in the quagmire.
Ironically, the normally safe Back knocked on with Freddie Tuilagi well placed
on his outside during a rare flowing move - an unfortunate way to mark his 100th
Premiership appearance.
Sale's best chance of a try came after only five minutes when winger Chris
Mayor hacked a loose ball forward to the Leicester line only to fumble in the
greasy conditions.
They were the highlights of a tight match in which the spectating Sir Clive
Woodward and England defensive mastermind Phil Larder will have learned little.
The home side were magnificently led by Jason Robinson, Sale's fourth captain
of the season, following the late withdrawal of Alex Sanderson.
Woodward might be contemplating switching Robinson to centre for England's
opening RBS 6 Nations game in Rome - but the former rugby league winger was
superb at full-back, making light of the treacherous conditions under foot.
Hercus gave the Sharks the lead with an 11th-minute penalty which was
cancelled out midway through the first half by full-back Andy Goode, who went
off just before the break with a leg injury.
Sale conceded just three points while hooker Matt Cairns was in the sin bin
for throwing a punch - and Hercus missed a chance to restore his side's lead
when he was narrowly wide with a second, long-range penalty.
Jaco Van der Westhuyzen also attempted an ambitious long-range shot at goal
early in the second half but barely reached the home 10-metre line and was wide
with a second effort he tried to squeeze out of the mud.
The contest, played out like a game of chess for the first half, briefly
opened up when Dean Schofield (Sale) and Martin Corry (Leicester) were in the
sin bin for fighting - but the conditions were the only real winner.
Hercus attempted to break the deadlock with a 40-metre drop goal, but a draw
was probably a fair result.
Teams:
Sale: Robinson, Mayor, Baxendell, Bond, Hanley, Hercus,
Wigglesworth, Yates, Cairns, Turner, Day, Schofield, White,
Lund, C. Jones.
Replacements: Stewart for Turner (59), Perrett for Day (72).
Not Used: Roddam., Lloyd, Simpson-Daniel, Hoyle, Going.
Pens: Hercus.
Sin Bin: Cairns (14), Schofield (45).
Leicester: Goode, Smith, Lloyd, Gibson, F. Tuilagi,
van der Westhuyzen, Ellis, Rowntree, West, Morris, M. Johnson,
Kay, Corry, Back, H. Tuilagi.
Replacements: Richards for West (62),
W. Johnson for H. Tuilagi (62).
Not Used: Nebbett, L. Deacon, Tierney, Gelderbloom, W. Skinner.
Pens: Goode.
Sin Bin: Corry (45).
Att: 10,541
Ref: Ashley Rowden (RFU).
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