NSEMBA ON SONG
Junior’s looking to sing off the same hymn sheet as uncle
HIS famous uncle Rigobert Song is a Cameroon football hero but Wigan’s Junior Nsemba is making his own mark in rugby league.
Wigan is a long way from the central Africa country and the teenage powerhouse forward is born and bred in the town.
But both his parents hail from Cameroon and Nsemba, set to feature in Sunday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final at Castleford, is certainly proud of his heritage.
He’s hoping ex-Liverpool and West Ham star Song
(right), who starred in four World Cups and captained Cameroon, could soon see him in action with the Super League champions.
Nsemba, 19, said: “Rigobert is my uncle but I’ve not seen him for a while.
“The last time I saw him was when I was about 13 and I went to France.
“He’s meant to be coming down this summer and hopefully he’ll get to come watch Wigan.”
While Song has long since retired and also recently quit as Cameroon head coach, his nephew is just starting out in rugby league. Towering second-row Nsemba scored his first Super League try in Thursday’s 40-12 win at Leigh when he claimed man of the match with his all-action display off the bench. Nsemba has needed to bide his time this season but got a chance against London and was an unused substitute in the Good Friday loss at St Helens.
He is loving life with the World Club champions and added: “It just shows that hard work does pay off. I was injured in the off-season. I had an operation on my knee.
“But coming back at London, playing in that Leigh game as well, it’s just amazing.
“Obviously, with the derby at Saints, with the atmosphere of it all and the way the game was going, it would have been tough for Matt (Peet) to try to put me on.
“But I wasn’t stressed about it. I just wanted to work harder in training to be ready for Leigh.”
After being inspired by the likes of Song, Nsemba wants to make Cameroon proud, although it’s more likely he’ll represent England if his current trajectory continues.
He said: “I’m not too sure what my future is looking like… England/ Cameroon? But once it comes to that I have a decision to be made. I just need to chat to my mum and dad!”