Former Kabras RFC captain opens up on Canadian venture
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Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 18.04.25. | 18:40
Sikuta believes Kenya has untapped potential, particularly in sevens, but flagged resource constraints and poor player welfare as major hurdles
Two years after parting ways with Kabras RFC, former captain Daniel Sikuta has opened up in his journey since relocating to Canada to pursue a new chapter in his rugby career.
Sikuta, affectionately known as Skubez, made headlines in 2023 when he left the Sugarmen on a Bosman transfer.
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The hard-hitting backrower soon inked a four-year deal with Halifax Rugby Club in Canada, marking a bold new step after a successful stint at the Kakamega-based side.
He recently returned to Kenya briefly and was present as the Sugarmen made history, clinching a fourth consecutive Kenya Cup title after edging Menengai Oilers 27-26.
“It feels nice to be back home and coming to cheer my team in the final. This is a derby; brothers against brothers, but I love good rugby,” Skubez told Mozzart Sport.
Former Kabras RFC Captain and 2-Time back-to-back Kenya Cup Champion Daniel Sikuta landed a four-year contract at Halifax Rugby Club in Canada.
— Sin Bin Rugby. (@sin_bin_rugby) November 24, 2023
Skubez left Kabras following the expiry of his contract in September.#RugbyKe #SinBinRugby #KenyaCup pic.twitter.com/QFjiFpxKCr
He has embraced his new life in North America, where he juggles roles as a player and coach, but he admitted that he still misses home.
“I missed social life, my people, my family, and the food—ugali na kuku ya kienyeji especially,” he joked.
Despite that, the flanker was grateful for the kindness and warmth of his immediate surroundings, which included his new teammates and the coaching staff.
“I enjoyed my time there. People are good, the environment is good for me to play rugby and coach. I’m currently coaching their U20 team and so far, I enjoy everything,” he revealed.
Having traveled extensively during his years with the Kenya Sevens team, Sikuta said adjusting to life in Canada did not pose a challenge.
“I adapted very fast because I’ve been travelling a lot during my playing days. I know what is expected, so it was easy for me to adapt,” he disclosed.
He has also keenly observed the differences between the Kenyan and Canadian rugby ecosystems.
“The main difference is the skill level and the structures. In Canada, they have a lot of systems to incorporate and develop players. I’ve been sharing insights with the coaches from what I’ve learned here,” he said.
Sikuta believes Kenya has untapped potential, particularly in sevens, but flagged resource constraints and poor player welfare as major hurdles.
“We have a lot of talent in Kenya, but our major undoing is the lack of resources and player management. We can see how our current 7s team is doing and I believe with time we can win major titles,” he said.
For now, his focus is firmly on Canada.
“I have the opportunity to coach the U20 team, and you never know, I may end up coaching even the Canadian national team,” he said with a smile.
Sikuta’s contribution to Kabras RFC remains legendary. Since joining the club in 2016 from Mwamba RFC, where he played between 2010 and 2016, he helped the team secure two Kenya Cup titles, two Enterprise Cup trophies, one Charity Cup, and a National 7s Circuit crown.
He captained Kabras during the 2021/22 season, leading them through a golden period of dominance.
A seasoned international, Sikuta boasts 159 appearances, 35 tries, and 175 points in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
His glittering CV includes the 2013 Africa Sevens Cup, 2018 Safari Sevens, and reaching the 2018 Hong Kong and Vancouver 7s finals. He’s also captained the Kenya 15s national team, earning 34 caps, and represented Kenya at the U19 level in 2011.
