Leeds crashed to a 35-20 defeat at the hands of Sale in their latest Premiership clash that keeps them rooted to the bottom of the Premiership but they look set to escape relegation altogether.

Winger Mark Cueto grabbed a double and fly-half Charlie Hodgson's accurate boot added six kicks as Sale overturned an early 10-point deficit to book their place in next season's Heineken Cup.

London Irish's defeat at Newcastle tonight ensures a top three finish for the Parker Pen Shield finalists and entry into Europe's premier competition for the first time.

But for Leeds the big story is set to come at Twickenham tomorrow when it is expected to be announced that National League champions Rotherham have been denied entry to the top flight by England Rugby Limited.

The reasons for the Yorkshire club's omission are likely to be spurious but that will matter little to the Tykes who have excelled themselves in the early part of the season, only to fade dramatically during the campaign's later stages.

Tonight's reverse marked their sixth successive defeat and an end of season basement berth looks certain despite Bath's equally dire recent form.

Tykes coach Phil Davies had stressed to his players that any talk of a relegation reprieve must be put out of their minds. And the determination to avoid ending the campaign bottom of the table was evident in a first quarter display equal to any produced by the Tykes since the turn of the year.

Charl Marais' poor line-out throw allowed Leeds to steal possession close to the home line, and when Braam van Straaten exchanged passes with his former Springbok team-mate Japie Mulder, the Sale defence opened enough for winger Chris Hall to glide through two despairing tackles before crashing over the line.

Van Straaten converted, then added a penalty to put his side 10 points clear with barely six minutes on the clock.

Hodgson had not enjoyed the best of evenings to that point, failing to find touch with two penalties and looking sloppy in his distribution.

All very worrying for a man who will carry out England's pivotal fly-half duties in Argentina this summer, but manager Clive Woodward need not be too concerned, as the Yorkshireman quickly returned to top form and overturned the visitors' lead.

Lock Iain Fullarton drove into the heart of the Leeds defence, and Hodgson's wide pass to Anthony Elliott gave the winger just enough space to squeeze in at the corner.

Hodgson was unable to convert but with Sale committed to an expansive game, he was starting to find spaces in the flagging Tykes rearguard.

However, after sending number eight Pete Anglesea through a gap with a beautifully delayed pass, Hodgson didn't need a second invitation to send Cueto over with a long, looping pass which left the Leeds line unattended.

This time Hodgson did land the extra two points to put his team in front and for a while it appeared Leeds would be swamped by the continual home attacking.

Jason Robinson had a couple of darts but failed to find a gap, although the Lions star did find himself on the deck after being caught before landing on three separate occasions after taking successive Stephen Bachop bombs.

However, Leeds clung on, with Bachop and Scott Benton both failing with drop goal chances before Van Straaten's scruffy 45 metre penalty flapped over in stoppage time to give the visitors a narrow interval lead.

The advantage lasted just five minutes into the second period, although the Tykes will question the apparent knock-on before Scotland skipper Bryan Redpath darted over direct from the base of a scrum.

Hodgson landed the conversion, then three penalties in five minutes and suddenly Sale were in the clear. The latter stages went by with a flash of running rugby.

Leeds' James Ponton and Sale replacement Apollo Perelini were both held up over the line before Robinson embarked on a trademark counter which almost gave the home side a bonus point for their fourth try.

Instead, the Tykes grabbed a dazzling try of their own, Dan Scarbrough racing over halfway before sending Mulder clear with a basketball pass after Robinson had bounced his fellow full-back to the floor.

Robinson had the last laugh though, selling Benton an outrageous dummy before sending Cueto in from 20 metres.

Teams:

Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Shaw, Deane, Elliott, Hodgson, Redpath, Yates, C. Marais, Stewart, Fullarton, C. Jones, A. Sanderson, Pinkerton, Anglesea.

Replacements: Baxendell for Shaw (63), Perelini for Yates (71), Black for Stewart (57), Lines for Fullarton (45), Wilkes for Anglesea (63).

Not Used: Dickens, Titterrell.

Tries: Elliott, Cueto 2, Redpath.

Cons: Hodgson 3.

Pens: Hodgson 3.

Leeds: Scarborough, Bartolucci, Mulder, van Straaten, Hall, Bachop, Benton, Wring, Holt, Shelley, C. Murphy, P. Murphy, Hyde, Ponton, Hogg.

Replacements: Benson for Bartolucci (65), Davies for Mulder (80), O'Reilly for Benton (73), Fullman for Wring (65), Luffman for Holt (65), Mather for Hyde (58).

Not Used: Jones.

Tries: Hall, Mulder.

Cons: van Straaten 2.

Pens: van Straaten 2.

Att: 3,871

Ref: Steve Lander (RFU).