Sale Sharks 10 Leinster 10:LEINSTER RECOVERED from last week's hefty defeat to pick up a draw against Sale in the first game at the Salford City Stadium in Manchester.

A try each in the second half ensured a share of the spoils, but Joe Schmidt and co will be a lot happier with this week’s outing, with Andrew Conway’s try ensuring a happy camp for the week. With Scarlets waiting in the wings in Leinster’s opening Pro12 clash next weekend, Schmidt’s side needed to put in a positive showing, but a powerful opening from the home side gave them the upper hand in the early exchanges.

And after all the early territorial domination Sale Sharks managed to take the lead after just seven minutes when English international Danny Cipriani slotted a penalty from an acute angle.

Eleven minutes in Cipriani pinned the Heineken Cup champions in the corner from a penalty. And with the line in sight Leinster did very well to rob the lineout and clear the danger. Midway through the half Leinster drew level thanks to a penalty from Noel Reid and it stayed that way until half-time.

But three minutes after the restart Leinster crossed in the corner for the first try of the game from Conway, which Ian Madigan converted to give Schmidt’s side a 10-3 lead.

But 16 minutes from time the home side drew level when Rob Miller broke through the Leinster line and Nick MacLeod scored the conversion.

SCORERS – Sale Sharks: Try: Miller. Con: MacLeod. Pen: Cipriani.

Leinster: Try: Conway. Con: Ian Madigan. Pen: Reid.

SALE SHARKS: R Miller; C Amesbury, C Uys, J Leota, M Cueto; D Cipriani, D Peel; E Lewis-Roberts, M Jones, V Cobilas, F McKenzie, R Gray, M Easter, D Seymour, A Powell.

Replacements: J Ward, T Buckley, A Croall, K Myall, R Vernon, T Holmes, W Cliff, N Macleod, S Tuitupou, W Addison, C Ingall. LEINSTER: I Nacewa; A Conway, B Macken, N Reid, F Carr; I Madigan, I Boss; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, J Hagan, T Denton, D Toner, D Ryan, J Murphy, L Auva’a

Replacements: A Dundon, J McGrath, M Moore, L Cullen, B Marshall, J Cooney, C O’Shea, J Coghlan, D Hudson, J O’Connell.