How watching Jone Kubu playing inspired Kabras RFC youngster's rugby rise
Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 05.09.25. | 10:09
The talented number nine has been instrumental in the Sugarmen's campaign this season, even becoming the joint top scorer for the team alongside Griffin Chao at the Christie 7s
Back in 2013, a young Roy Maruti was just a third-grader at the Kabras Academy, full of hope and a burning desire to play rugby.
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He would watch the local heroes with awe, dreaming of a day when he too could take to the pitch. His inspiration came in the form of a dynamic Fijian player, Jone Kubu, who arrived in Kenya in 2015 with the Samurai Sevens team and was later signed by Kabras Sugar.
While most of his teammates returned home, Kubu found a new home in Kenya, and in him, Maruti found a hero.
"In 2013, while I was still at the Kabras Academy, I used to watch players like Jone Kubu, whom I admired so much. I wanted to play like him when I grew up," Maruti told Mozzart Sport.
Fast forward a decade, and Maruti's dream has evolved incredibly. The young boy who once watched from the sidelines is now a key player for Kabras RFC, sharing the very same pitch with his idol, Kubu. Maruti is still in awe of this milestone.
The youngster made his senior debut at the start of the 2024/25 season and has since become a regular in the team.
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The talented number nine has been instrumental in the Sugarmen's campaign this season, even becoming the joint top scorer for the team alongside Griffin Chao at the Christie 7s.
Despite his impressive rise, Maruti remains humble and hungry to grow.
"Personally, if I were to rate myself out of 10, I’d give myself a 4, because I still have a lot to work on," he said.
He went on to credit the guidance of senior players like Kubu and Brian Tanga, who provide an added layer of motivation.
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"Discipline and teamwork are very important because they always lead to good results. Having senior players like Tanga... around us is inspiring and motivates us to give our best," he added.
Maruti made his debut for the Kabras II side in January 2023, just weeks after finishing high school, and quickly worked his way up to the senior team.
He was also part of the Chipu team that finished second at the Barthes Cup.
