Wigan Warriors ace shares Wembley dream as England ambitions laid bare

If selected, Wigan Warriors starlet Junior Nsemba will play in his first major final at the age of 19 next weekend as he graces the hallowed ground at Wembley.

Wigan take on local rivals Warrington Wolves in the Challenge Cup final under the famous arch on Saturday, with thousands of fans making the journey in the big North West smoke.

And his family will be beaming with pride in the stands at Wembley after his remarkable rise to the top flight with his hometown club, around 20 of his nearest and dearest having secured tickets for the final.

“Wembley is no small thing, is it? This is the first time I have been there,” said Nsemba Loves Rugby League.

“Obviously everything I do now is for mum and dad. They’re a big part of my life, they’ve done a lot for me, so I’m just trying to give back to them really.

“They’ll be very proud, obviously it’s a big achievement for the team and for me, so they’ll be happy to see their son go there.”

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Junior Nsemba on Willie Isa: ‘He’s like a mentor to me’

Nsemba has made 27 appearances for the Warriors since making his first-team debut in 2022 after progressing through the academy ranks.

And 11 of those appearances have come this season, seizing the opportunity from the back row following Willie Isa’s unfortunate long-term injury.

Nsemba says he has learned a lot from Isa, both on and off the pitch, with the latter making more than 300 career appearances at the highest level.

“Covering for Willie is tough, he’s a really good player so he’s teaching me things,” Nsemba said Loves Rugby League.

“Even though he’s injured, I’ll talk to Willie off the pitch and ask him what I could do better and he gives me his advice, so I feel like I’m doing a decent job now of covering his position.

“Obviously I like playing in the same position as Willie, so I’m just talking to him. He is like a mentor to me, always guiding me on the right things and what to do.”

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Ambition to represent England

Nsemba, who is of Cameroonian heritage through his parents, has ambitions to one day represent England, the country where he was born and raised.

England have a trial match against France in Toulouse later this month and while he has been tipped as a potential back-up for Shaun Wane’s side, he is simply focused on playing his best with Wigan in clubland for now.

The towering back-rower said: “Obviously it would be a big achievement to play for England, but I’m just trying to do my job on the pitch right now to show Waney what he’s really after, so I’m going to do it. keep trying on the field.

“If I don’t get it now, (then) hopefully I’ll get it at some point in the future.”

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