No Cash on the Table As Chambers Turns Up for Jungle Trial

Dwain Chambers will benefit financially from his latest unlikely sporting adventure with Castleford Tigers only if he impresses sufficiently during a one-month trial to earn a Super League contract.

Mick Robinson, Castleford's Australian football manager who has been the driving force behind the deal, stressed yesterday that the 29-year-old professional athlete will be playing initially as an amateur, raising fresh questions about the motives for the move.

Chambers admitted in a Sunday newspaper interview that he was looking to rugby league for the money which he needs both to repay around £100,000 to the International Association of Athletics Federations and to fund an appeal against his lifetime ban by the British Olympic Association, which Chambers' Leeds-based solicitor Nick Collins said yesterday remains "highly likely".

"It was made clear from day one that the purse strings are tight and that Dwain would have to come and earn a contract," said Robinson. "No money has changed hands [between] the club and Dwain in the first month." He also denied that the deal had been funded by a private sponsor.

"When I first went and met him about 10 weeks ago I thought he might be arrogant and full of himself and want a bucket load of money," Robinson added. "But I went out thinking 'What a gentleman'. It was never ever mentioned as a publicity stunt. It's just coincidence that the applications for the new Super League licences are due in today."

Castleford's current position at the bottom of the table with one win from nine matches has fuelled doubts as to whether the club will be granted one of the three-year licences that will determine Super League membership from next year. But the Tigers will hope that the large attendance at yesterday's press conference makes a positive impression on the Rugby Football League, who will make the decision in July.

Chambers met Castleford's squad for the first time yesterday. Awen Guttenbeil, the club captain, said: "The players are very excited to have an athlete of Dwain's calibre at the club," before adding: "It's going to be a big ask for Dwain to be involved but I'm sure he can contribute."

He will train with them in the gym today, with the next clue about his possible involvement coming due on Friday when the Tigers coach, Terry Matterson, is required to name a 19-man squad for the game against St Helens on Sunday.

Matterson unexpectedly raised the possibility of Chambers being thrown straight in at the deep end. But the Yorkshire club can see that even playing him in the reserve team curtain-raiser would put at least a couple of thousand on the gate.

"I would say his chances of playing in the first grade are high," said Matterson, to the obvious surprise of Chambers, who had just admitted he had never touched a rugby ball until his photo-shoot with Castleford at the weekend.

"We're busted. We had only 17 players [on Sunday in a 50-4 defeat at Bradford] and lost two more to injury, so you do the sums. It's going to be a tough ask for him, no doubt about that. But you can see from the response we've had that from the club's perspective it's been a worthwhile exercise even as it is now. The club can't lose anything by this. If he does make it, it will bring people through the gates."

When pressed on the viability of combining the early stages of a rugby league career with preparation for the Olympics, Chambers said: "It's something that crossed my mind in the early stages. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'm here to face the music and dance. It's not going to be easy, I'm aware of that. But I went to American football and got knocked around. I'm a tough nut. I'm willing to go out and try it and do the best I can. It is a risk but I'm pretty open-minded. I'm just going to have some fun and learn the ropes."

Chambers' solicitor would not discuss how his client could fund an appeal against his Olympic ban, which is expected to involve another six-figure sum. The trials for Britain's team for Beijing are on July 9, making the idea of him staying at Castleford and chasing his Olympics dream even less plausible.

"We remain optimistic," Chambers said of his prospects of a successful appeal, even refusing to rule out the possibility of taking part in the London Games in 2012 when he will be 34. "We can't afford negative thoughts. There will be a decision on that in the next couple of weeks, if we want to go forward with a legal case."

The slightly surreal press conference in the restaurant at The Jungle ended with Barrie McDermott and Terry O'Connor, the former Great Britain props who have formed a knockabout double act for Sky, asking Chambers how he felt about facing their modern equivalents such as the Bradford bruisers Sam Burgess and Joe Vagana. "I'm sure I can run fast enough to get away from them," Chambers responded with a big grin.

There must remain considerable doubt about whether he will ever pull on a Tigers shirt in anger, at least at first-team level, but Chambers can be admired for showing the courage to have a crack.

Sportsmen who took the leap to league

E MacDonald Bailey

The Trinidadian, who won bronze for Great Britain in the 100m at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, signed for Leigh following his retirement from athletics, attracting a 15,000 crowd to Hilton Park for his debut

What happened? Never played again

Berwyn Jones

The Welsh sprinter was a member of the British team who won a bronze in the 4x100m relay at the 1962 European Championships. A former union player, he impressed in trials for Wakefield Trinity in 1964 and made a try-scoring debut for Great Britain against France in Perpignan within nine months. Moved to Bradford Northern and scored 26 tries in the 1967-8 season

What happened? Retired in 1969 after moving to St Helens

Arthur Rowe

Regarded as the first world-class British shot-putter, setting 15 British records between 1958-61, but cut short his athletics career when he signed for Oldham aged 24 in 1961

What happened? Made a handful of reserve team appearances

Darren Clark

Australian 400m runner who reached 1984 Olympic final. Signed by Sydney club Balmain in 1991, but after huge initial publicity failed to make the grade

What happened? Returned to athletics in 1992

Gary Mason

Former heavyweight boxer who signed for London Crusaders in March 1992. Released after three reserve team appearances and went on to run for Mayor of London

What happened? Left the Crusaders after a few months

Abi Ekoku

The 1990 British discus champion joined London Crusaders in 1993 at the age of 26. Made 27 appearances before joining Halifax and then Bradford Bulls, where he was a member of their Super League title-winning squad in 1997, also playing in the Challenge Cup final defeat by St Helens at Wembley

What happened? Went on to manage Great Britain for 17 months, ending last November

Philippe Gardent

Former linebacker from NFL Europe who had spells with Washington Redskins and Carolina Panthers, and also represented France at bobsleigh. Joined Welsh Super League hopefuls Celtic Crusaders at the start of this season

What happened? Has made only a handful of appearances off the interchange bench