Dwain Chambers: on trial at Castleford Tigers

I don't know who it was that claimed that no publicity is bad publicity, or whether you agree with that statement, but the name of Castleford Tigers has far greater national recognition now than it did seven days ago.

Phil Clarke
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• Castleford Tigers

As Castleford sit alone at the bottom of the table, playing and looking like a team in the wrong division, they have somehow sensationally grabbed the nation's sporting attention.

After losing 50-4 at the weekend, they have pulled off the greatest publicity coup in rugby league in the last decade.

It is incredibly rare for rugby league to gain exposure on terrestrial news channels during prime time.

Many people in the country still don't know that there are two different types of rugby, or how many players play in each game, but then neither did Dwain when asked at the press conference!.

I don't know who it was that claimed that no publicity is bad publicity, or whether you agree with that statement, but the name of Castleford Tigers has far greater national recognition now than it did seven days ago.

Some people might say that it is a bit like a P T Barnum stunt to grab people's attention and there is a certain circus feel to the whole event, but the trial offered to Dwain Chambers has even taken the attention away from the almost unstoppable Leeds Rhinos.

I have read comments by people who say that it's an embarrassment to the sport and a complete disgrace.

Readers of this column will know that I would actually favour a lifetime ban for people who are found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs from any professional sport, but that is not the stance taken by WADA (World Anti-Doping Authority) to which rugby league adheres.

They forget that Ryan Hudson has served a two-year ban for using performance-enhancing drugs and is now back playing for the Huddersfield Giants without too much fuss.

Vitriol

The vitriolic criticism of Dwain Chambers is strange when you consider that football players like Edgar Davids and Japp Stam only served four and five month bans for similar offences. It's not as if Chambers has murdered 20 people at a rugby league game!

He failed his drugs test in 2003 and was banned for two years. In 2001, he legally recorded a time of 9.97 seconds for the 100 metres and clearly has great speed.

Unfortunately I don't think that he will be able to make it in rugby league, but I'm not against him trying. The greatest motivation for some people is to be told that they can't do it.

Let's look at what he'll need to do to play on the wing in a Super League game. Firstly he'll need to run with the ball about 10 times in 80 minutes, that's the average work-rate of a Super League winger. Most of these will be from kick returns with most of the balls rolling on the floor for collection, and some of them high kicks which he'll need to catch.

Then he'll need to learn how to run from Dummy Half. Each time that he stands behind the Play-the-Ball he'll need to learn how to evade the marker defenders, get up to top speed as quickly as possible and run at what will look like a wall of bodies with no gaps in it.

Brave

I don't know how desperate or brave he is but he'll win some collisions and lose some others. Either way, keep a tight hold on the ball, get up, and roll it back with your foot as quickly as possible.

Whenever his team has the ball he'll have the sideline to help him keep his bearings, stay away from that line as if it's the edge of the world that you can't afford to fall off. If you sense a break by a team-mate get as close to him as possible and get ready to catch the ball, because those Tiger team-mates of yours are going to see if you are as quick as you look on TV.

As the ball approaches you imagine that it's your little baby and catch it with soft hands.

So the attacking bit sounds easy, what about when your team doesn't have the ball. Well the good news is that you'll only have to make about four or five tackles in a match (assuming that you play on the wing) but will need to be in the right place for 4,800 seconds, to avoid the embarrassment of the 'I told you so' brigade.

I've no doubt that you'll get some advice about how to stop your opponents, but let's simplify things and just say that it's just a case of getting them onto the floor any way that suits you (without decapitating them).

If I were Dwain Chambers and I were serious about this move I'd go and find Martin Offiah and spend as long as I could with him. There hasn't been a better winger in the last 25 years and both have the rarest and most invaluable quality in all sports: speed.

Now to this week's questions...

Email Phil Clarke: mailto:skysportsclub@bskyb.com or click here to send him a question...

BE A-GRADE, BE VERY A-GRADE
Hiya Phil - Excuse the cheek but tried finding the answer to this question elsewhere but though probably obvious can not find the answer. Re: the applications to the Super League and the criteria needed to re-enter the competition come the next season, will the same apply for following seasons? If (god forbid) my team the Bulls submit an application that fails will they then just take their place back among the elite based on ability or will the same criteria be applied to coming up (as the footie does to conference teams coming up to div 2). Like I say excuse my laziness in asking this but cannot seem to find anyone who knows the answer! The Hobsons

PHIL REPLIES: Please feel free to ask any questions that you like and never feel embarrassed if you think that it's a lazy request. One of the things that makes this role so interesting is the diversity of questions which we receive. I hope that the answers satisfy most rugby league followers. Although we have heard and read a great deal about the licence application process taking place this year, very little has been said about the future. I have spoken to representatives at the RFL who inform me that the licences granted later this year will be for a period of three years (i.e, seasons 2009, 2010 and 2011). This means that at some time during 2011 there will be an opportunity for teams, not in the top competition - plus the ones already there - to be reassessed along what I imagine would be similar criteria. The RFL have stated that they have an open-mind about the future with the underlying factors being that clubs are strong enough to enhance the competition. This might mean that new clubs join the already existing members if they've made improvements to their club.

TRIAL AND TRIBULATION
Phil, I know it is purely a trial at the moment it may never come off, but I would be interested to know what your thoughts on Dwain Chambers coming to Cas are? I know everyone deserves a second chance, but I don't think it sends out a very good message if the sport of rugby league allows a drug cheat in? Where do you stand on the matter? Bob Smith

PHIL REPLIES: Thanks for this question, I have covered all aspects on Dwain Chambers in my column, but feel free to keep sending in any questions you may have.