When BC Lions defensive back Cauchy Muamba takes to the field this Sunday in the Canadian Football League Grey Cup final, there will be a familiar face on the field, although he’ll be wearing the opposite uniform. Cauchy’s younger brother Henoc Muamba, will be playing against him as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“I am pretty excited, as is the whole team, it’s obviously the biggest game of the season," comments Henoc Muamba. "I imagine Cauchy and his team are excited as well. With this being my first year I am happy to be in this situation and I am trying to enjoy it as much as I can. I am going to try do what I can to help my team win on Sunday.”
“It will be interesting playing against Cauchy, as we have never done that before, we have always been on the same team. Even during the regular season this year when we played B.C. I was injured so I didn’t get to play, so it will be really exciting. All our family will be there so it should be fun.”
Both Muamba brothers are StFX X-Men football products and will playing for the CFL’s biggest prize at BC Place Stadium as Vancouver hosts the 99th annual Grey Cup. Although they may not be on the field at the same time, as Henoc also plays defense in the linebacker position, they could see action against each other on special teams. Joining them on the field will be BC Lions wide receiver Akeem Foster, also a StFX teammate.
“It really is great to see Henoc, Cauchy and Akeem having so much success at the next level,” comments X-Men football head coach Gary Waterman, who also coached the Muamba’s at the high school level.
“I am certainly not surprised that they are playing so well, as all three of them have always shown a tremendous work ethic. During their time at StFX, they continually pushed each other in the weight room and on the field, which is why it is great to see them pitted against each other on such a big stage. I can honestly say for all three of them that their combination of talent and drive should equate to long professional careers.”
Foster and the Muamba brothers join a contingent of X-Men graduates currently playing in the CFL as Jonathan Hood is a member of the Hamilton Tiger Cats, Steve Myddelton plays with the Calgary Stampeders and Mike McCullough is a Saskatchewan Roughrider.
Henoc Mumaba was the first overall pick of the 2011 Canadian Draft and has been an active player on the Blue Bombers roster. After missing games to start the season due to an injury, he finished up with 15 special team tackles and one fumble recovery which he returned 53 yards for a touchdown against Montreal on September 30th. The Blue Bombers closed out the season in first place in the Eastern Division with a 10-8 record, after turning around a league-low 4-14 record last year. A 19-3 win over Hamilton in the CFL Eastern Division final advanced them to the Grey Cup match.
In turn, the BC Lions played to an 11-7 season in the Western Division. They claimed top spot over Edmonton and Calgary, who also had 11-7 finishes, based on their better record against the two teams. The Lions were able to turn around a 0-5 start to 2011 to clinch first place, and they handled the Edmonton Eskimos 40-23 in the CFL Western Division final to punch their ticket to the Grey Cup being hosted in their home stadium in Vancouver.
Safety Cauchy Muamba finished the season with five tackles, 10 special teams tackles and one interception in a game against Toronto on September 2nd. Cauchy has been with the Lions for two years now, having being drafted 34th overall in the 2010 Canadian Draft. Two years Henoc’s elder, they grew up in Mississauga, Ont.
“Personally my season was the same as our team’s - up and down and then looking bright towards the end. I can say that I learned a lot this year, I got to start some games and had my first interception in front of my friends and family in Toronto," says Cauchy Muamba.
"Words can't explain how great it felt to win the Western Division, and now heading in to the Grey Cup playing alongside Akeem and against my brother - we dreamt about this and talked about this a lot during the off season while we were training in Antigonish. I can only say that we are truly blessed and we are definitely enjoying this moment.”
While at StFX, both Muamba brothers were standouts on defense. Cauchy saw action on both defense and special teams and played in the 2008 CIS East-West Bowl. Henoc was a 2010 East-West Bowl participant and was the CIS Presidents’ Trophy winner for the top defensive player in the country. He wrapped up his university career as StFX’s all-time leader in career tackles (149.5), and he was a three-time CIS All Canadian.
Akeem Foster, a native of Ajax, Ont. played in the 2009 CIS East-West Bowl and was a 2009 CIS first team All-Canadian receiver. Drafted 24th overall by the BC Lions in the 2010 Canadian Draft, he finished the 2011 CFL season with 33 receptions for 593 total yards and scored six touchdowns.
When the Lions take to the field at BC Place Stadium on Sunday, it will mark only the second time in CFL history that B.C. and Winnipeg have met in the Grey Cup. In 1998 the Blue Bombers edged the Lions 22-21 at the Grey Cup in Ottawa. The Lions will be attempting to become the first CFL team to win the Grey Cup on home soil since they won at B.C. Place in 1994.
The last Grey Cup appearance for the Lions came in 2006 in Winnipeg when they defeated Montreal 25-14 to win their fifth Grey Cup title. Championship victories also came in 2000, 1994, 1985 and 1964.
Winnipeg will be looking to erase a 20-season Grey Cup drought. Their last Grey Cup victory came in 1990, a 50-11 win over Edmonton. The Bombers have 10 Grey Cup titles to their credit, dating back to 1935. Their last appearance in the final was in 2007 when they lost 23-19 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Toronto. They were also runner-ups in 2001, 1993 and 1992.
In two CFL regular season meetings this year, Winnipeg earned two victories over the Grey-Cup favored BC Lions. In week five, they posted a 25-20 win at home, followed by a 30-17 victory in Vancouver during week seven.
The 99th annual Grey Cup will air live on TSN this Sunday evening, November 27th at 6:30 pm ET (7:30 pm AT) from BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.