Chambers Full of Spirit on Debut But Unlikely to Keep on Winging It

Dwain Chambers showed enough raw promise in his rugby league debut at the weekend for Castleford to be keen to extend his initial one-month trial at the Jungle which ends today. However, he will count his bruises and consider his other options before giving them an answer.

The 30-year-old sprinter showed admirable courage just to take the field for the 30-16 win over the York City Knights reserve team in a friendly arranged to provide him with a taste of the game. His presence attracted an attendance of 3,244, more than 40 times the gate for the last fixture played by Castleford's senior academy team, with the club forced to delay the kick-off by 15 minutes and open up extra turnstiles for long queues of curious fans snaking back into Wheldon Road.

"We've put to rest any suggestions that this was a publicity stunt," Chambers said afterwards with his young son, Skye, sitting on his knee. "I believe this is just the beginning. It was hard work but I enjoyed it. But we're still in the early stage of negotiations and where we go from here."

Castleford's football manager, Mick Robinson, also responded favorably to Chambers' first real taste of rugby league. "I'd like to think we might be able to keep him up here," he said. "He's been an absolute delight, all the players have taken to him, and the way he played out there shows he's got something that we could work with. But we're going to have to find something for that to happen."

In truth, Chambers could not have asked for a much easier ride. He started the game on the interchange bench to protect him from the opening exchanges and, in his first 15-minute stint on the field, he touched the ball only twice, on each occasion from a set-scrum move, and did not have to make a tackle. When he was finally called into defensive action during a brief second burst just before half-time he went low on the burly York wing Dale Ferris, denying him a try and bundling him into touch. "That was the best bit, because it got the crowd rowdy," he said. "I just reacted to what I saw and done the best I could. I don't even know what I done."

There was a longer, 19-minute stint in the second half, in which he made a couple of half-breaks from two more simple scrum plays and also tidied up a dangerous grubber kick before he retired again blowing heavily. But the long odds that must remain on Chambers' chances of ever reaching Super League standards, even if he does defy expectations by agreeing to extend his stay in Yorkshire, were confirmed when Castleford's reserve team coach, Colin Maskill - a former Leeds hooker who has always had a roguish sense of humor - threw him on at full-back for a last cameo.

He looked even more lost in that position than he had on the wing and, when York's prop Mark Applegarth broke through, Chambers' brave attempt to tackle him was futile as it came far too late to prevent him scoring and instead left the finely tuned athlete rolling on the ground. Chambers finally regained his feet clutching his right bicep and returned to the safety of the bench to mime a slit to his throat in an emphatic gesture of finality. "That wasn't nice," he grimaced later. "I'm never playing full-back again."

Castleford could not justify offering him much of a contract in terms of playing ability, merely on vague potential, which considering his age would have to be a risk. However, those club officials who accepted his agent's offer to give him a trial can at least argue that it has provided more national publicity in the past month than the Tigers would normally receive in several seasons. Quite what Chambers has gained is harder to fathom.

"Rugby league has made me happy, and that's when I get the best out of myself," he answered. "It's been an opportunity to redeem myself as an individual and help raise my confidence, and be part of a sport where they have welcomed me."

Sprinter's impact

0min Chambers starts on bench

11min Replaces Alex Shenton on right wing

15min First touch: receives ball from scrum, breaks first tackle, then dumped by Joe Stearman

26min Second touch: tackled first time by Chris Varley. Substituted

37min Back on

40min Makes one-on-one tackle low on Dale Ferris near his own line to loud cheer

52min Returns after being substituted at half-time

64min Third man in for tackle, but two plays later allows high kick to bounce and then knocks it forward

68min Good drive, again from a scrum. Knocks on in tackle

71min Off again

75min On at full-back. Tries to tackle Mark Applegarth but too late to prevent try. Clutches right bicep and returns to bench

Final figures Played 40 mins. 7 touches. 3 tackles. 1 assist. 4 missed tackles. 2 handling errors