Junior Nsemba urged to ’embrace negativity’ by Wigan legend ahead of derby as form questioned

Junior Nsemba has been backed to silence the critics and recapture his best form as he bids to help Wigan Warriors retain their Super League title and earn inclusion in England’s Ashes squad.

Nsemba, 21, enjoyed an outstanding 2024 campaign as Matt Peet’s men won an unprecedented quadruple with the second-rower named Super League’s Young Player of the Year.

His levels have dipped slightly at times this season and ex-Great Britain prop Adrian Morley recently claimed that Nsemba would not be in Shaun Wane’s Ashes squad on current form.

“Criticism is part of being an elite-level sportsman”

Yet legendary former Wigan winger Martin Offiah says the homegrown star must use the criticism as fuel to prove his critics wrong, just as he famously did in the 1994 Challenge Cup final.

Before Wigan played Leeds at Wembley, Alex Murphy gave an interview to a national newspaper where he claimed Offiah was “finished” and had “lost his bottle”.

The winger responded by helping Wigan to a 26-16 victory which saw him score twice – including an iconic length-of-the-field effort – and win the Lance Todd Trophy for the second time in three seasons.

Offiah, who is an ambassador for Wigan and for the Ashes series, told Love Rugby League: “My message to Junior Nsemba is simple: embrace negativity – because it’s coming.

“I expect Junior to play in more than one Ashes series, to feature in a few World Cups, Grand Finals and maybe even in the NRL one day.

“Criticism is part of being an elite-level sportsman and if as a sport we want to be as big as the NRL then we have to accept it because that’s what creates headlines and stars.

“I’m sure Matty Peet is giving Junior the right messages about keeping his circle tight and getting his head down and performing.

“It’s the business end of the season and as a player you’re going to be judged more closely than ever because of what’s at stake.

“Wigan are bidding to defend their Super League title and there are places in Shaun Wane’s Ashes squad up for grabs.

“This is what pressure in elite sport is all about and I watch a lot of the NRL.

“When players there perform well, they get applauded but when they pay badly they get caned by the media.

“Junior’s talent is not in doubt – he was sensational last season and earlier this year, I was in Las Vegas to see him have a brilliant game against Warrington.

“Now it’s time for him to show how good he really is and that he deserves a place in the Ashes squad. Would I back him to achieve that? Absolutely.”

Offiah copped plenty of flak during his career and was on the receiving end of vicious verbal and physical abuse from opposition fans and players.

He can look back and smile at the scathing attack that Murphy launched on him 31 years ago.

“Sometimes in life we need people to doubt us because it can give us the motivation to perform and prove the critics wrong,” added Offiah.

“Before the 1994 Challenge Cup final, Alex Murphy did a full page interview in a national newspaper criticising me.

“We’ve never spoken about it since – it’s always been an elephant in the room – but I’ve never held a grudge against him.

“He was a legend of the game and achieved so much yet what he said fuelled my desire to show how good I was. Against Leeds at Wembley, that is exactly what I did.

“Adrian Morley recently said that Junior Nsemba wouldn’t get in the England team right now.

“I’m sure Adrian faced criticism during his career after maybe getting himself sent off when he shouldn’t have done but then responded to it.

“That’s part of high-level sport – you have your highs and lows but it’s all about how you respond to criticism and setbacks.

“There are still people now who say I wasn’t a very good player but I’m thinking ‘Jesus, I scored 501 tries and am in the Rugby League Hall of Fame!’

“Criticism is part of sport and you have to accept it, embrace it and revel in it – although sometimes British rugby league shies away from it for some reason.

“Maybe if Alex hadn’t written that article about me then I wouldn’t have gone on to achieve what I did and end up being immortalised in a bronze statue with him at Wembley Stadium.”