Leicester head coach Pat Howard is confident Martin Corry will be given the green light to lead England into battle in next weekend’s RBS 6 Nations match against Grand Slam champions Wales.
The England skipper and number eight pulled out of Leicester’s top-of-the-table clash with Premiership leaders Sale after bruising ribs during last week’s European Cup win at Clermont Auvergne.
England’s medical team will inspect Corry’s injury when he joins up with the national squad at their Surrey training camp on Sunday evening and Howard says he expects the captain to be given the all clear.
The Leicester coach said: "It’s up to the medical people now, but he should be okay."
Howard explained his decision not to bring Lewis Moody back on after he had been yellow carded in first-half injury-time.
Moody was playing his first game since the end of his nine-game ban for fighting during England’s clash with Samoa last November.
He was sin-binned for a clumsy challenge on Sebastien Chabal and Howard said: "We didn’t bring him back on in case he got a second yellow card.
"He was so enthusiastic after being out for so long and we were only going to give him 50 minutes anyway."
Howard saw his side battle back from being 24-9 behind at the break to snatch a draw and said: "We were pretty poor in the first half.
"We changed our gameplan in the second half and simplified it.
"We held on to the ball and got the penalties."
Sale director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre was delighted with the way his side responded to last week’s mauling at Munster in the European Cup.
He said: "A lot of people said we didn’t have the hunger last week and I was pleased with the commitment and character we showed.
"There was a big improvement from last year when we were beaten here."
