Cueto poised to make quick return

England star Cueto has suffered a host of injuries this season

Sale wing Mark Cueto could be back for the league game against Leicester on 6 April after learning his calf strain was not as bad as first feared.

The injury forced Cueto to miss the EDF Energy Cup semi against the Tigers but he said "the signs are good".

Prop Andrew Sheridan, however, suffered a "grade two" tear of the medial ligament in his knee in the cup game.

He could be out for eight weeks and will struggle to make England's two-Test tour to South Africa.

Sheridan only returned to action in February after breaking his ankle.

"This is the last thing I wanted because I need to get games under my belt before I can get back into the England reckoning," said Sheridan, who missed the entire Six Nations.

"Maybe I should start going to church."

Sheridan's setback adds to Sale's already crippling injury crisis but the Sharks could have prop Lionel Faure and centre Mark Taylor back for the Leicester game.

Having been eliminated from the EDF Energy Cup on Saturday, Sale only have three Premiership matches left - two at home, to the Tigers and Bath, and a trip to Harlequins on 28 April.