Kubu, Sifuna, Adaka return as Kenya Simbas name squad for Zimbabwe Goshawks

Kabras Sugar fly half Jone Kubu is back to the Kenya Simbas line up ahead of their clash against Zimbabwe Goshawks on Saturday 20 May at the Nakuru Athletics Club.

The team jetted back to Nairobi on Monday 15th May from their Mzansi Challenge campaign in South Africa where they played three matches and one match in Namibia.

Their first assignment on home soil has seen the return of Jone Kubu, Eugene Sifuna and Bryceson Adaka and the inclusion of Lameck Ambetsa.

“I am very excited to be back in training with the boys and eagerly looking forward to playing against Zimbabwe tomorrow. Last year it was a bit challenging for us to beat them despite the narrow loss in South Africa.

We have since then worked on what went wrong and the training this week has helped in improving our plays,” said Kubu.

The starting line-up sees Ephraim Oduor, Griffin Musila and Hillary Mwanjilwa form the front row, Brian Juma and Hilary Odhiambo pair up as the locks while captain George Nyambua, Brian Ndirangu and Jeanson Misoga are in the backrow.

Samuel Asati retains his starting position as the scrumhalf, he will be linking the forwards with the backs.

Kubu starts at flyhalf, Peter Kilonzo and Joel Inzuga are the center pairings while Alfred Orege, Beldad Ogeta and Ntabeni Dukisa are the back three.

There is a five-three split in the reserves, Eugene Sifuna, Thomas Okidia, Wilhite Mususi, Hibrahim Ayoo and Elkeans Musonye in the forwards while Brian Wahinya, Bryceson Adaka and Lameck Ambetsa in the backs.

This will be the second ever Currie Cup First Division clash between the two sides, the first one ending in a 22-21 victory to the Goshawks on 23 April 2022 in Cape Town.

Simbas head to the clash placed eighth on the log with seven points off one win and five losses while the Goshawks are bottom of the pile on three points, winless in their six outings to date.

The solitary victory for the Kenya Simbas in the 2023 Currie Cup First Division came on 6 May when they managed to beat Border Bulldogs 30-26.

In their latest encounter, the East Africans lost 35-28 to Windhoek Draught Welwitschias of Namibia.

The side will look to defend their home tuff and Kenya’s performance at Nakuru Athletic Club seeing as the facility played host to the Victoria Cup fixture between Kenya and Zimbabwe on 7 September 2019, a match that ended 36-14 in favour of the hosts.

The match will kick off at 4:00pm

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Reporting by KRU