Fijian Kubu inspires Kabras Sugar to Kenya Cup glory

Kabaras Sugar rugby team players celebrates after winning against Menengai Oilers at Bull ring stadium at Kakamega on March 12, 2022. Photo by Benjamin Sakwa/ Standard

Kabras Sugar Rugby Football Club are the 2021-2022 Kenya Cup champions.

Fijian Full back Jone Kubu on Saturday scored 24 points as Kabras came from behind to defeat Menengai Oilers 34-28 in the Kenya Cup final staged at the Bull Ring in Kakamega.

Trailing 18-8 at the half, Kabras outplayed Oilers in the second half as the sugar men ended their six-year wait for a Kenya Cup title

Fijian Kubu scored a try, five penalties and two conversions as Teddy Akala and Jenson Musoga each crossed over the whitewash to lead Kabras to the championship, ending their seven-year losing curse.

The last time Kabras won the title was in 2016 when they beat Impala Saracens. Oilers scored three tries, two conversions and three penalties.

On the other hand, semifinal hero Geoffrey Ominde scored 13 points (two conversions, drop goal and two penalties) as Coleman Were and Davis Nyaundi each scored a try in the defeat.

In the match, the Oilers started on the front foot after taking an early 7-0 lead inside the opening three minutes.

The visitors won a penalty and opted for a line-out which resulted in a maul that saw them beat Kabras opposition to score through ex-sugar man Coleman Were. Ominde converted to give Gibson Weru-led charges the lead.

Four minutes later, Oilers were penalized for a high tackle and Jone Kubu hit the target off the tee for three points to narrow the gap to 7-3.

Oilers continued with their early offensive surge that further paid off as they won a penalty and Ominde hit the target for a 10-3 lead. Ominde later added a drop goal to move the scores to 13-3.

Things went from bad to worse for hosts Kabras as they found themselves trailing by 15 points after Davis Nyaundi scored an unconverted try that pushed the scores to 18-3 with five minutes left to the break.

At the stroke of halftime, Kubu landed the Miller's first try that South African Ntabeni Dukisa failed to convert as Oilers took an 18-8 lead.

In the final half, Ominde punished a miscued kick for touch by Kubu to stretch the leads to 21-8 after splitting the posts with a penalty.

Trailing by 13 points, Kabras coach Muller introduced Brian Tanga in place of Barry Robinson and the change sparked the hosts to life as hooker Teddy Akala touched down off a Kubu dummy-assist to narrow the gap to 21-15 after conversion by the Fijian full-back.

At the hour mark, Kabras took the lead after territory gain saw George Nyambua offload to Musoga who dived over under posts before Kubu added the extras for a 22-21 lead.

Kubu later added two penalties for a 28-21 lead before Timothy Okwemba came off the bench to score an Oilers a try for a 28-28 tie after Ominde’s conversion.

The glory however belonged to Kubu who scored two late penalties in the dying minutes for a 34-28 win.