He's the teenage star who heads to Wembley having destroyed Super League opponents.
But towering Wigan second-row Junior Nsemba knows someone who can instantly cut him down to size - his mum. Standing at six foot five inches, he’s been too big to handle for many already in his blossoming career. Ahead of facing Warrington in Saturday’s Betfred Challenge Cup final, Nsemba, 19, admitted: “I do [rise to the challenge].
“But I feel like I put a bit too much pressure on myself. I come from Cameroon. My mum is always telling me how it is: she’ll tell me if I’ve had a bad game, she’ll tell me she doesn’t want to come watch any crap! There’s a bit of pressure from her. But I like hearing it. My dad, though, is a monotone man. He won’t say too much either way!”
Although his parents hail from Cameroon, Nsemba was born and raised in Wigan so knows all about the club’s rich Cup heritage as record 20-times winners. But he has never visited Wembley before and admits he never watched the famous showpiece growing up. Nsemba, who’s uncle is Cameroon football legend Rigobert Song, said: “As a kid I just watched stepping highlights on YouTube!
“People like [Newcastle Knights’] Kalyn Ponga and I’ve seen [Wigan team-mate] Bevan French a few times. It was class when I got to see him do it for real in training and now in games.”
Tom Johnstone faced “manic” time settling at Catalans Dragons after horrid 2022
Wigan Warriors' Junior Nsemba (CameraSport via Getty Images)That viewing content points to Nsemba desiring to be a silky back rather than battering forward - ‘“that’d never happen!” - but he’s certainly made his mark up front for Matt Peet’s side. Tomorrow is only his 31st senior game yet he could already bag the most famous trophy in the sport. With his thunderous runs and big hits, Nsemba has made a starting spot his own since veteran Willie Isa broke an ankle in April.
Nothing seems to faze him and you sense it will be the same at Wembley on what will be an emotional occasion for a number of reasons, not least as the sport celebrates the late, great Rob Burrow. Nsemba conceded: “I have shocked myself a little with some of the things I’ve done in games. But I just need to keep working hard and improving. I can’t take anything for granted.
“I’m enjoying it loads. It’s amazing playing with a great team like Wigan. But from the academy and reserves it’s been a big push learning from different mentors like Faz [Liam Farrell] and Willie [Isa]. It’s been amazing. Saturday’s a big occasion and it’s great to get there. Warrington have strengths all over but we’ll give 100 percent. It’d mean a lot if we could do it.”
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
