Sale 33-47 Leicester result - Tigers secure place in PREM Rugby play-offs with victory

Leicester ensured they would finish the Gallagher PREM league phase in the top four with victory over Sale.

The Tigers dominated most of the match, but will be cognisant that defensive lapses, which allowed Sale to record five tries, cannot be repeated in the knockout stages.

Ollie Chessum opened the scoring after a free-flowing move and then, after Tom O'Flaherty set up Tom Roebuck to score for the hosts, the Tigers' dominance upfront saw Jamie Blamire and Joaquin Moro also score after driving Sale back beyond their try-line following lineouts.

Jacques Vermaulen then touched down for Sale but Joseph Heyes' try before the break secured a bonus point, and effectively ended the contest, with a wonderful try from Will Wand, plus scores from Ollie Hassell-Collins and Archie van der Flier establishing a huge lead in the second half.

Creditably, Sale kept playing until the last whistle, and tries from Ernst van Rhyn, Sam Dugdale and Aaron Reed brought respectability to the scoreline - and a bonus point.

The Tigers are in third place and play the team above them, Bath, in the last match of the season and will have the chance to secure a home semi-final. Sale remained in seventh.

But Sale take something out of the game too with their late rally securing a bonus point.

Ford reduces the margin to two converted tries.

The game looks easy now for Sale. After they were stopped a few more times on the line, Warr spears a pass out to Reed who meets it at full speed and forces the defence beyond the try-line.

Austin was just stopped from scoring after a Leicester line out over-shot the jumpers and was collected by the substitute behind them.

A fine kick from Ford from the left touchline.

Credit to Sale they are more interested in playing the game out than the Tigers and after another multiple phase visit in the opposition 22, they find Dugdale on the left flank and he brushed off two tackles before touching down inside the corner flag. And they have their bonus point.

Sale are close to gaining a bonus point from the match now.

Sale have 12 phases in the Leicester half and, after Kelly's run got them close to the line, eventually they get their reward with their skipper van Rhyn diving in under the posts.

They have the most points they have ever scored at Sale already but they could have had more. Wand this time passed inside to Reffell who saw the ball smack against his chest and onto the floor.

A great burst from Steward provided the opportunity and then there was good exchange of passes with Reffell before the scrum half just hesitated long enough to be swarmed by Sale defenders.

Another successful kick for the Tigers.

Replacement Van der Flier shows why many see him as a big star of the future brushing off two would-be tackles before bursting in for a try.

Bailey misses the kick on the near side.

The Tiger forwards have ten phases near the try line before throwing wide with Radwan feeding Hassell-Collins out on the left flank and he dives in for a try.

Sale forwards coach Joey Ford said Quirke was only scheduled to play 30 minutes on his return from injury, so it was never planned for him to play in the second half.

But the Sale full-back is stopped just short of the 22 by Bailey. Who is a little slow to get up but seems fine to carry on.

Bailey has kicked four from four.

Magic Wand! The winger showed his defensive prowess in the first half and here he shrugged off a tackle from Carpenter then chipped over the defence and beat Waugh to grabbed a high bouncing ball and dive down just inside the in-goal area.