Sale 17

Leicester 41

ONLY four teams have stood in Leicester's way this season. They have romped, rather impressively to a six point lead at the top of the Allied Dunbar Premiership One, amassing 678 points on the process.

And from their point of view, Sale were merely the next ones in line, just waiting to be turned over.

From Sale's point of view, a win against the champions elect would have been conclusive proof that they can still compete with the big boys.

The final score does not shame them at all, however, and you could argue that their performance does prove that the Heywood Roaders are big-time material.

The most positive thing they could take from the game was the fact that they succeeded in breaking the strongest defence in the league three times.

Sale's open, cavalier style of play has scored them tries this season, but it has also lost them tries as well.

Against Leicester, the style was more sinner than saint.

As Leicester coach Dean Richards says, "Sale played extremely good rugby but, when you open up as much as they do, it leaves gaps. That gave us the opportunity to come back."

Skipper Jim Mallinder and hooker Phil Greening blazed the trail for Jos Baxendell's opening score, but that's about as good as it got for Sale in the first half.

With Stimpson kicking two conversions and scoring two tries himself, he provided the backbone for Leicester's twentieth victory of the season.

Lougheed, Healey, Corry and Back added touch-downs of their own, which was too much for the home side, who could only offer Shane Howarth's solo effort and a try for transfer-listed Barrie-Jon Mather in reply.

Sale's new head of rugby, Adrian Hadley, said after the game, "There has been a lot on the players' minds because I have been meeting each of them in turn to discuss their future at the club.

"There will be more meetings this week but we cannot use that as an excuse for what happens on the pitch. You have to consider those who pay to watch."

Looking to the future, he added, "I am confident we will be able to compete next season, if we can keep the core of our current squad."

Given the scope of chief executive Graham Walker's cost-cutting manoeuvres. this may be difficult for Hadley to achieve.

Meanwhile, after seeing Richard Smith having to be pulled off Martin Johnson in the second-half, does anyone else agree with me when I say that the 5ft 10 ins scrum half should pick on someone his own size?

Sale: Mallinder; Moore, Baxendell, Yates, Mather, Howarth, Smith, Bell, Greening Theron, Raiwalui, Murphy, Anglesea, Sanderson, O'Cuinneagain.

HOWARTH about that,then? Shane plants down a try for Sale but they could not stem the flow from Leicester. Picture by Rick Holton.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.