Leicester Tigers were forced to make two late changes to their squad for the Aviva Premiership trip to Sale Sharks.
Defensive lynchpin Anthony Allen and line-out caller Graham Kitchener were both pulled out of the starting XV before kick-off.
Fijian international Seremaia Bai replaced Allen to form a fascinating centre pairing with fellow Fijian, Niki Goneva.
While Sebastian De Chaves came into the line-up for Kitchener.
On the bench, Adam Thompstone replaced Bai and new signing Greg Peterson, an American international, came in for a possible debut to replace De Chaves.
The changes meant seventh-placed Tigers would start against an in-form Sale side with eight changes from the team that lost at Northampton last weekend.
The home side's AJ Bell Stadium was heading towards its first ever sell out in the three years that Sale have been based there.
