by Bruce Pope BBC Sport at the Millennium Stadium

Moody will be hoping to be part of England's World Cup plans

Leicester kept themselves on course for a possible trophy treble by seeing off Sale in the first of Saturday's EDF Energy Cup semi-finals in Cardiff.

The Tigers, who also still have designs on the Heineken Cup and Guinness Premiership, exacted revenge on Sale for last season's 45-20 Premiership final drubbing by the Sharks at Twickenham.

The score in the Millennium Stadium, 29-19, was closer than that thanks to a subdued first period, but led by the excellent Samoa wing Alesana Tuilagi, the Tigers were full value for the win.

It was hard on Sale, so outstanding last year but whose season has now ended torn to bits and lying on the physio's table.

The catalogue of injuries has been long and crippling; at one stage in the season they were down to their fourth-choice fly-half.

With apologies to those English clubs who will fill the Heineken places next year - if the current politicking is resolved satisfactorily - it seems a travesty that a side as talented and entertaining as Sale will not be there.

Out of Europe and sitting low in the league, this Anglo-Welsh competition had been Sale's last chance of winning a Heineken place next term.

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on Moody's return

Even on Saturday the injuries did not spare Philippe Saint Andre's team, as England wing Mark Cueto failed to recover from his calf strain in time.

It was a different story for the victors, as Lewis Moody made a welcome return to action for the Tigers, arriving back in action ahead of schedule following surgery on a damaged shoulder.

The 44-cap open-side flanker showed just what England had been missing on this ground in the RBS Six Nations a week ago, when they capitulated to a Wales team determined to avoid the wooden spoon.

Alesana Tuilagi scored one Leicester try and set up another

The rust from his enforced absence showed on the defensive side with a couple of missed tackles on Sale number eight Sebastien Chabal.

But when 'Sea Bass' is in one of those rampaging moods, it seems no disgrace if the big Frenchman happens to get past, as he did to Moody with one charge down the wing for a try just after half-time.

Moody still has that maddening habit of giving away penalties needlessly, but his scavenging around the park and whole-hearted support in attack still catch the eye.

England coach Brian Ashton almost certainly had both peepers on the blond number seven on Saturday afternoon, and Moody probably did enough in those 80 minutes to have his name inked in for the World Cup squad.

It was a less happy afternoon for Moody's back-row colleague Martin Corry, despite finishing on the winning side this week in Cardiff.

Corry was restored to the number eight role after his unhappy sojourn at lock for England last weekend.

But the Tigers captain had little opportunity to impress in a cagey first period before being forced off with an elbow injury.

The blow could yet rule Corry out of next week's Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Stade Francais, although Tigers coach Pat Howard does not think it is a season-ending injury.