Harvie Hill is the man Wigan Warriors fans ought to be keeping a keen eye on this season. That’s the message from Junior Nsemba who has been blown away by the efforts of the young front-rower over pre-season.
Hill already has 33 Wigan appearances under his belt and the 21-year-old
managed to make 16 of those last season, stepping off the bench with
regularity. The prop clearly has ambitions of sealing a permanent spot in Matt
Peet’s 17-man squad, though, and Nsemba has joined the likes of Sean
O’Loughlin and Matt Peet in praising him for his efforts over the winter.
The former Hensingham youngster has been one of the stars of Wigan’s pre-
season, catching the eye in friendly games against Oldham and Leeds Rhinos
before playing in his part in a dominant pack showing in the Challenge Cup
against Sheffield Eagles.
He’s earned his opportunity then and with Ethan Havard sidelined for the first
few months of the season, he looks destined to get it, with the door now open
for him to start the season against Leigh Leopards in the side.
“I’m not trying to talk like I’m an older boy or anything, but Harvie Hill has
killed it,” Nsemba told Serious About RL. “Watching Harvie, he has absolutely
killed it.
“He’s one to look out for this season. Zach Eckersley and Jack Farrimond, I
think them three are the ones to look at.
“I think if I was a coach, and I was watching from the outside, I’d be watching
him (Hill). You can see the difference that he makes in training. Obviously
when we’ve got 13 on 13, whatever side he is on, he’s making a big difference.”
Wigan Warriors had three special guests in camp in the build up to the new
season as Manchester United stars Harry Maguire, Mason Mount and Andre
Onana paid a visit to Robin Park. A video has been posted on Super League’s
media channels about the day the United trio had in the company of Wigan
and Nsemba was of course delighted to welcome them to the club.
However, given his Cameroonian heritage, Nsemba spent most of his time
talking with Onana, with the goalkeeper being invited to the Brick Community
Stadium to watch a game.
“He was just telling me how to manage things and when I go back to
Cameroon, how to go about things really to do with Cameroon,” Nsemba
added about Onana. “I liked it, it was good to mix rugby with football.
“Onana said that he’d get put in hospital if he tried to play this. He wasn’t
really familiar with the sport, but after seeing that he said that he’ liked to
watch a game and that, so I’m going to try and get him down.”
The back-rower added: “The club’s going forward, I feel like the sport getting
recognized more and more even if it’s not from Wigan and it’s from other
teams, we’re trying our best to put our name on the map.
“Going to Vegas is putting rugby league on the map like people might not
know what the sport is out there, but now they will.”
