Exclusive: Junior Nsemba of the Wigan Warriors describes his most formidable foe before their match at Wembley.

A rampaging 19-year-old striker gets ready to play Warrington Wolves in the Challenge Cup final and reveals who can cut him down to size.

This is the teenage sensation who, after demolishing Super League opponents, is heading to Wembley.

However, Junior Nsemba, a big second-row player for Wigan, knows someone who can quickly cut him down to size: his mother. At six feet five inches, he has already proven to be too big for many during his burgeoning career. Nsemba, 19, acknowledged that “I do [rise to the challenge]” before taking on Warrington in Saturday’s Betfred Challenge Cup final.

However, I believe that I place a little too much pressure on myself. I’m a native of Cameroon. My mother is always telling me how things are; if I’ve had a rough game, she’ll let me know and she won’t come watch any garbage! She is exerting some pressure. However, I enjoy hearing it. On the other hand, my dad is a boring man. In any case, he won’t say too much!

Nsemba was born and reared in Wigan, thus he is well-versed in the club’s rich Cup history as record 20-time champions, despite the fact that his parents are from Cameroon. However, he acknowledges that he has never been to Wembley and that he never saw the well-known spectacular as a child. Legendary Cameroonian football player Rigobert Song’s uncle, Nsemba, stated: “When I was younger, all I did was watch stepping highlights on YouTube!

“People like Kalyn Ponga of the Newcastle Knights, and I’ve seen Bevan French, my teammate at Wisconsin, a few times. When I saw him perform that in real life during training and currently in games, it was class.

The content of the video suggests that Nsemba would rather to be a soft back than a batter—”that’d never happen!” — but he has undoubtedly established himself early on on Matt Peet’s side. Though it’s only his 31st senior game tomorrow, he already has the chance to win the most prestigious prize in sports. Since seasoned player Willie Isa fractured his ankle in April, Nsemba has cemented himself a starting berth with his booming runs and huge hits.

Nothing appears to phase him, and you get the feeling that on what promises to be an emotional occasion at Wembley—not least because the sport is honoring the late, great Rob Burrow—that nothing will change. “I have shocked myself a little with some of the things I’ve done in games,” Nsemba said in admission. But all I have to do is keep pushing myself and getting better. Nothing can be taken for granted by me.

I am thoroughly enjoying it. Playing alongside a fantastic team like Wigan is incredible. However, there has been a significant drive from the academy and reserves to learn from various mentors like Willie (Isa) and Faz (Liam Farrell). It’s been incredible. It is wonderful to arrive on Saturday as it is a significant event. Warrington has several advantages, but we’ll give it our all. If we could pull it off, that would mean a lot.