Josh Lewsey of Wasps in action against Sale

Wasps (10) 26
Try: Rees, Staunton
Pens: King (4)
Cons: King (2)

Sale (13) 18
Try: Cueto, Bell
Pens: Jones (2)
Cons: Jones

An injury to replacement Sebastien Chabal compounded a miserable day for champions Sale as they lost at Wasps.

Mark Cueto put Sale ahead before Tom Rees scored for Wasps, shortly after Tom Voyce had gone over but failed to ground the ball.

Alex King kicked Wasps in front after the break before they added a deserved second try through Jeremy Staunton.

Chabal limped off shortly after coming on and although Chris Bell pulled a try back it was not enough.

Rhys Jones had already kicked a penalty before Cueto scored the game's first try, rounding off a slick move involving Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe and Magnus Lund, although Chris Jones's final pass looked forward.

Daniel Cipriani's rampaging run set up a try-scoring chance for Wasps, who were already celebrating before the replay official ruled Voyce had not touched down properly.

But Rees ensured this was soon forgotten when he scored after finding a gap in the left-hand corner.

Wasps went ahead around the hour mark through King, which was when replacements Leo and Rafael Ibanez began to influence things.

Leo's stray pass saw one Wasps attack fall apart but he made amends when he dispossessed Jones to set up Staunton's try.

Bell's late try gave Sale hope but the gap was too large to claw back.

"It's a big win for us and it makes life tough for Sale in terms of the play-offs.

"The season is bubbling."

"Jason Robinson was outstanding. We rested him a week before the Six Nations but we are struggling so much with injuries we need him.

"It was an important game for us - he understands. If we'd won we had more chance of finishing in the top four.

"We deserved more than nothing from this game."

Wasps: Cipriani, Lewsey, Waters, Staunton, Voyce, King, Reddan, Payne, Ward, Bracken, Shaw, Palmer, Haskell, Rees, Dallaglio. Replacements: Ibanez, Adams, Leo, Worsley, Amor, Purdy, van Gisbergen.