Jone Kubu may not be blessed with the big physique that is associated with many rugby players but his wizardry on the pitch is on a high level. Besides possessing the precision of a surgeon when taking penalties and conversions, Kubu has received accolades for his acerbic wit and intelligence.
It is no wonder that former Kenya Simbas coach Paul Odera described him as a triple-threat player who can side-step, kick and tackle.
“Before getting hold of the ball, Kubu is a player, who already has crafted two or three moves. That is an ability few players possess..you can never tell what he is going to do next with the ball,” Odera told Nation.
He has been an exceptional player for Kakamega based Kabras Sugar RFC who were crowned the 2023 Kenya Cup winners after raiding KCB 19-9.
Here is the story of Jone Kubu as told by WoK:
Kubu was born and raised in Fiji and is a second born in a family of 5. As a nation, Fiji is largely known for its excellence in rugby. Because rugby is arguably the most popular sport in Fiji, Kubu fell in love with the game and began learning about it at a relatively young age of 6.
“Most of us started rugby when we were young, at the age of 6 or so. When we grew up, we started playing with whatever we picked,” he said in a past interview.
Relocating to Kenya
Kubu first came to Kenya in 2014 to play for a Fijian club that was invited for the Safari 7s tournament. The Kabras Sugar RFC would then approach him alongside 3 other Fijians for a potential deal.
While the others left after a short stint, Kubu stayed and made Kenya his residence. He describes Kenyans as friendly and great people and reveals that he has had to adapt to the hot weather.
“I came to adjust a little here. I came to taste some bit of ugali and sukuma wiki and Fiji is not too hot like here,” he says.
Winning titles and changing citizenship
Kubu has been a rare gem for Kabras. He helped the club clinch their first Kenya Cup trophy in 2016. In the 2021/22 season, Kubu put up an impressive performance and finished as the top try scorer. In the finals that saw Kabras walk away victorious after beating Menengai Oilers 34-28, Kubu was feted as the player of the match.
He scored 5 penalties and had 2 conversions. Under coach Carlos Katywa, the sugar millers retained their crown this year and finished unbeaten.
In 2022, Kubu was called up for the Kenyan national 15s team. He was eligible to don the Kenyan colours after having stayed in the country for at least 36 consecutive months.
He took part in the World Cup Qualifiers though the Kenyan side failed to qualify.
