Sale 3-3 Leicester

Sale: (3) 3 Pen: Hercus Leicester: (3) 3 Pen: Goode

Leicester began life after Dean Richards with a frustrating draw at rain-lashed Edgeley Park.

The Tigers, in their first match following Ricgards' departure, lost more ground in their desperate bid to claim a Heineken Cup spot.

But Sale's two points lifted them into the top half of the Premiership, ending a run of three defeats.

New fly-half Mike Hercus gave Sale the lead with a penalty after 10 minutes, cancelled out by one from Andy Goode.

The final hour of the match remained scoreless as neither side were able to make the breakthrough in atrocious conditions.

He had a great debut. I was very impressed Sharks coach Jim Mallinder

Sale coach Jim Mallinder, a candidate to replace Richards, could take heart from the debut of Hercus, the American giving an assured display.

But the Sharks, who also gave a debut to Australian forward Hugh Perrett, failed to make the most of the line-out dominance of England contender Chris Jones.

The Tigers forwards were more effective in the loose, where new assistant coach Neil Back revelled in the quagmire.

Ironically, the normally safe Back knocked on with Freddie Tuilagi well placed on his outside during a rare flowing move.

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 played in front of watching England coach Sir Clive Woodward and his defence co-ordinator Phil Larder.

It was a bad game at the end of a bad week Tigers coach John Wells

The home side were magnificently led by Jason Robinson, Sale's fourth captain of the season, following the late withdrawal of Alex Sanderson.

Robinson excelled at full-back, making light of the treacherous conditions under foot.

Leicester lost Goode before half-time to a leg injury, after he had earlier punished a punch from Sale hooker Matt Cairns, who was sent to the sin bin.

Hercus was narrowly wide with a second, long-range penalty, and also missed with a 40-metre drop goal attempt.

Jaco Van der Westhuyzen also attempted an ambitious shot at goal early in the second half but barely reached the 10-metre line, and was wide with a second effort.

The contest briefly opened up when Sale's Dean Schofield and Leicester's England flanker Martin Corry were yellow carded for fighting, but the conditions prevailed.

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Sale: Robinson, Mayor, Baxendell, Bond, Hanley, Hercus, Wigglesworth, Yates, Cairns, Turner, Day, Schofield, White, Lund, C Jones. Replacements: Roddam, Stewart, Lloyd, Perrett, Simpson-Daniel, Hoyle, Going.

Leicester: Goode, Smith, Lloyd, Gibson, F Tuilagi, Van der Westhuyzen, Ellis, Rowntree, West, Morris, M Johnson, Kay, Corry, Back, H Tuilagi.Replacements: Richards, Nebbett, L Deacon, W Johnson, Tierney, Gelderbloom, W Skinner.

Referee: Ashley Rowden (RFU)