Fijian Jone Kubu is part of the provisional Kenya Simbas squad named last week for the Rugby World Cup qualifiers set for July.
According to World Rugby residency rules, the Fijian, who has been in Kenya for the past five years playing for Kabras Sugar RFC, is eligible to play for the Simbas having met the minimum requirement for three years.
Kubu has played an integral part in the rise for the Kakamega-based outfit and was key for the side when they won the Kenya Cup in 2016 after beating Impala and Enterprise Cup in 2019 against the same opposition.
Head coach Paul Odera has called up 102 players to start virtual training with only two months to the World Cup qualifiers against Zambia and Senegal in July .
Odera has also had to reschedule a 10-day high performance training camp slated for Stellenbosch, South Africa earlier set for April. The camp will now take place in June.
The initial squad will undergo a series of assessment tests after which the team will be narrowed down to 50 players and later, a final list of 30 players who will compete in this year’s Rugby Africa Cup.
After all sporting activities were halted early last year, the Simbas carried on with their weekly sessions only that they were held via zoom with players completing the tasks provided by either the head coach or the strength or conditioning coach Mike Owino or the emotional Intelligence lead, Nandi Kegode.
“The squad includes those named in 2020 as well as additional players selected using footage and data from current Kenya Cup season which was suspended on March 26 and International matches for overseas-based players," said Odera.