'I’ll show you, Dwain’ says Lee

2:13pm Saturday 26th April 2008

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YORK City Knights flier Lee Mapals is hoping all goes to plan today - so he has the chance to welcome Dwain Chambers to rugby league tomorrow.

Knights player-boss Paul March has kept minds focused on the first-team game at Blackpool this afternoon by saying no one playing today will take part in tomorrow's reserve friendly away to Castleford.

But The Press understands Mapals will be one of the first-teamers who could double up over the weekend if all goes well today - especially if the Knights return from the Lancashire seaside with three National League Two points.

Mapals himself is eager to play twice in 24 hours - and show opposite number Chambers "what rugby league is all about" - but he has stressed his focus today will not be affected by his possible day in the national spotlight tomorrow.

"As long as I pull through today I hope to have the chance to play," the 22-year-old said.

"There will possibly be 5,000-plus there and a lot of media and people from other clubs.

"It could open a few windows for you if you play well."

As exclusively revealed by The Press last week, the Knights arranged to play Cas in a friendly at The Jungle so that former Olympic sprinter Chambers could have a taste of match action before the end of his one-month trial with the Tigers.

It is a reserve grade academy friendly, but The Press suggested back then that first-choice winger Mapals might get the chance to take on the fastest man in Britain.

A cocksure Mapals said: "I'll definitely give him something to remember rugby league by, if I get the chance to play.

"I hope they don't give him a good kick and chase, but I'm sure a quick pair of heels dancing around him would show him a thing or two.

"It'd be good if I could match him over any distance. He's a good runner with a pair of spikes and nothing in his hands. But I'm faster on a track as well. We'll have to see what he can do on a field with people in his way.

"There will be a lot of pressure on him and on the people playing against him. It will be a good, hard, intense game."

Following the story in The Press about the game, national media have contacted the former New Earswick All Blacks amateur about taking on Chambers.

Mapals added: "It's been an experience. I don't normally have a series of newspapers on the phone."

But when asked if the media hullabaloo surrounding tomorrow's game would affect his concentration today, he said: "Not at all.

"It's another game of rugby and I'll try to perform my best like I do every week.

"The Cas game is at the back of my mind. I don't even know if I'm playing. Today's game is crucial. If we don't get a win I don't think we'll do anything this season. We need that one win and hopefully we'll then get a few more wins on the back of it.

"We seem to do one thing right but the next thing we're going down the pan because of individual errors. It's about getting the basics right and getting individual performances right."

The two Knights players currently pencilled in for wing berths tomorrow are reserves Dale Ferris and New Earswick amateur Joe Stearman.

However, a number of first-teamers will play. Danny Ekis will get a run-out following his suspension, while back-rower Mark Applegarth and former Castleford scholarship player David Leeke will play having been left out today. Youngster Leeke will be at full-back. Steve Grundy and fringe first-teamer Sam Blaney are likely to play at centre.

Leading try-scorer Leigh Rientoul should also play if he comes through today's vital National Conference promotion match for York Acorn at Thatto Heath.

Admission tomorrow is £3 for adults, £1.50 for concessions. Kick off is 3pm.

Knights reserves (provisional): from Leeke, Ferris, Grundy, Blaney, Joe Stearman, Varley, Speck, Hodgson, Ekis, Applegarth, Jack Stearman, Hunter, Oliver Wilcox Harrison, Walton, Parker, Watling, Rientoul.