Junior Nsemba
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Junior Nsemba | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 June 2004 Wigan, Greater Manchester, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.95 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 16 st 7 lb (105 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop, Second-row | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 2 November 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Junior Nsemba is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or second-row forward for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League and England at international level.
Background
[edit]Born in Wigan, Nsemba is of Cameroonian heritage, both his parents emigrated to Wigan from Cameroon prior to his birth.[3] He began playing junior rugby league at Wigan St Judes from the age of 11.[4]
He is the nephew and cousin of former footballers Rigobert and Alex Song, respectively.[5]
Playing career
[edit]Wigan Warriors
[edit]In August 2022, Nsemba made his Super League début for Wigan against Hull Kingston Rovers.[6] In 2023, Nsemba came off the bench to score his first career try in an 18–14 victory against Leeds Rhinos in the 6th round of the Challenge Cup.[7] Nsemba made 15 senior appearances for Wigan across the 2023 season, signing a four year contract at the end of the season in which Wigan won the League Leaders' Shield and Super League Grand Final.[8] On 8 June 2024, Nsemba played in Wigan's 2024 Challenge Cup final victory over Warrington Wolves.[9] Nsemba made the Super League Dream Team for the 2024 Super League season.[10] Two days later, he signed a new six-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2030.[11]
On 12 October 2024, Nsemba played in Wigan's 9–2 2024 Super League Grand Final victory over Hull Kingston Rovers.[12]
On 9 October 2025, Nsemba played in Wigan's 24–6 2025 Super League Grand Final loss against Hull Kingston Rovers.[13] On 30 May 2026, Nsemba played in Wigan's 2026 Challenge Cup final victory against Hull Kingston Rovers. Nsemba was controversially not sent off in the second half of the match for a tackle on Hull KR's Bill Leyland. Hull Kingston Rovers head coach Willie Peters described the tackle as "one of the worst he had ever seen".[14]
During Wigan's 2026 Magic Weekend victory, Nsemba suffered a hamstring injury ruling him out for one month.[15]
International
[edit]On 2 Nov 2024 he made his début for England in the 34–16 win over Samoa.
Honours
[edit]Wigan Warriors
[edit]- Super League
- League Leaders' Shield
- Challenge Cup
- Winner: 2024,2026
Individual
[edit]- Super League Dream Team
- Winner: 2024
- Super League Young Player Of The Year
- Winner: 2024
References
[edit]- ↑ Rugby League Project
- ↑ "Player Summary: Junior Nsemba". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers' Club. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
- ↑ Jones, Chris (5 February 2023). "Highly-rated Wigan Warriors prospect holds Cameroon ambition as Rugby League reaches country". Total Rugby League. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
- ↑ "Wigan Warriors' Junior Nsemba filling mentor's boots after choosing rugby over football". Sky Sports. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
- ↑ Newsum, Matt (7 June 2024). "Rising star Nsemba ready for Wigan's Wembley date". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ↑ "Wigan boss Matt Peet predicts bright future for Junior Nsemba following new long-term deal". Wigan Today. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
- ↑ "Super League: Hull KR 38-28 Wigan Warriors - Home side hold on despite late flurry". BBC Sport.
- ↑ "Wigan Warriors lock in young gun on long-term contract: 'He is an outstanding young man and talented player'". 22 October 2023.
- ↑ "Wigan beat Warrington to win Challenge Cup". www.bbc.co.uk. 8 June 2024.
- ↑ "Super League Dream Team 2024: Wigan provide four representatives". BBC Sport. 2024-09-22. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
- ↑ "Junior Nsemba: Wigan Warriors second-row signs new six-year contract with Super League champions". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 2024-09-26. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
- ↑ "Wigan v Hull KR: Super League Grand Final 2024 – as it happened". www.theguardian.com.
- ↑ "Hull KR beat Wigan in Grand Final to complete treble". www.bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ Bower, Aaron (1 June 2026). "Challenge Cup crowds are dwindling but rugby league must save Wembley relationship". www.theguardian.com. The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 June 2026. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
- ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/cy73403v44yo
External links
[edit]
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- 2004 births
- Living people
- England national rugby league team players
- English people of Cameroonian descent
- English rugby league players
- Rugby league players from Wigan
- Rugby league props
- Sportspeople of Cameroonian descent
- Whitehaven R.L.F.C. players
- Wigan Warriors players
- 21st-century English sportsmen
- English rugby league biography stubs