Sale v Leicester predictions: Sharks focused on reaching playoffs

Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Sale v Leicester in the Gallagher Premiership on Friday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 7.45pm Friday

Best bet

Sale -13
2pts 10-11 general

Match preview

Leicester pulled off a hugely impressive fightback against Ulster last week to book their place in the European Challenge Cup final but there's a shift in focus now as they take on a Sale side determined to seal their place in the Premiership's top four.

The Tigers' whole season now rests on that final, against Montpellier at Twickenham in two weeks, and they field a much-changed line-up at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Ben Youngs is back at scrum-half but behind him no player in the Tigers' backline has more than 21 appearances to his name and there are some big names missing up front, with Dan Cole, Ellis Genge and Dan Cole all absent.

Sale have named a strong side, with eight changes to their line-up from their win at basement boys Worcester two weeks ago. Josh Beaumont is back to lead the side and livewire scrum-half Faf de Klerk also returns and there's a sense that this is a match the Sharks are targeting with their final three matches all against teams around them in the top four.

With 12 wins from 17 Sale are right in the mix for the playoffs but it's been a feature of their season that they don't win big - ten of those dozen victories, and all five of their defeats, have been by a margin of one to 12 points.

That makes a handicap of 13 for this match hard to size up, but Sale do seem to have stepped up their game of late. Their two biggest wins of the campaign - 31-16 against Newcastle and 41-13 against London Irish - have come in their last three home matches, and they have scored 16 tries in their last four games.

Leicester have lost away to the other three teams in the top four this year - by 13 at Quins, 14 at Bristol and 16 at Exeter - and Sale look perfectly equipped to turn the screw in this game on their way to a comfortable win.

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