Wasps sent their England contingent into action to salvage an important win over Sale, who had Sebastien Chabal sent off late on at the Causeway Stadium.

Sale had threatened to end the home side's 18-match unbeaten run in High Wycombe when they forced their way into a 16-9 lead with 20 minutes remaining.

But late comers Simon Shaw and Tom Voyce carved out tries for Richard Birkett and Rob Hoadley before Chabal was shown the red card by referee Roy Maybank for stamping in the 76th minute.

The French number eight refused to budge at first, then appeared to spit at Wasps centre Fraser Waters as he left the field and could end up in serious trouble with the game's disciplinary chiefs.

Mark Van Gisbergen finished with two conversions and four penalties, while Sale fly-half Richard Wigglesworth kicked three penalties and converted Robert Todd's first-half score.

The international programme forced both sides into major surgery with Wasps giving a debut to 19-year-old James Honeyben at scrum-half and borrowed Blackheath's player-coach Harvey Biljon to sit on the bench as cover.

He was there alongside Lawrence Dallaglio, Shaw and Voyce, who had attributed 30 minutes in total to England's cause as replacement at Murrayfield a day earlier.

Sale were equally damaged by RBS 6 Nations Championship calls and injuries, with Wigglesworth, normally a scrum-half, pressed into service at number 10 and Chabal was among the replacements after being laid low with a stomach bug during the week.

Wigglesworth was the key figure in the first half and his kicking accuracy edged his side 13-9 in front at the break.

Van Gisbergen kicked three penalties for Wasps after eight, 23 and 31 minutes but missed with two simple chances as his side just shaded the first half in terms of territory and possession.

Sale, though, took their first try-scoring chance when Wigglesworth and Mark Taylor put Todd in clear to score as Wasps' defenders rushed up too quickly.

Wigglesworth converted and added penalties in the 29th and 34th minutes but it needed some determined last-ditch defending to keep Wasps at bay.

Daniel Leo was tackled into touch a yard short by a cluster of defenders and Steve Hanley stopped Joe Ward wide on the right when the hooker should have scored.

Wigglesworth added a third penalty in the 47th minute but missed two more early in the second half as Sale lost the initiative and Wasps sent on their high-profile replacement together in the 60th minute.

Dallaglio, Shaw and Voyce had some Murrayfield frustration to take out on the visitors, making an immediate impact when Voyce tapped a quick penalty and sent Shaw on a barn-storming run down the right.

Jason Robinson brought him down but could not halt the attack which ended with Birkett crashing over on the right and Van Gisbergen converting to level the scores.

The momentum was all with Wasps now and nine minutes from time another surging attack saw Dallaglio and Voyce involved before Tom Rees broke a tackle and put Hoadley into the corner with Van Gisbergen converting superbly.

Any hopes of Sale rescuing something from the game disappeared when Chabal was ordered from the field for stamping, apparently on Dallaglio.

Sale's Magnus Lund and Chris Jones also tangled with the former England captain, bringing Wasps another penalty which Van Gisbergen drilled over to put them out of sight.