He has not the mass characteristic to Super Rugby players. He doesn’t have the biggest tackle. He is young but mature,resilient and with exceptional leadership attributes. He recently steered the Standered Chartered Impala Rugby Academy to lifting the Mwamba Cup Division II trophy. His ingenuity while wearing the captain’s arm band and the number 14 Jersey earned him Man of the Match Honors.
“Our Mwamba Cup final match against Shieywe over the weekend was the best I have ever played,” he begins.
He comes from a sad past in a separated family. This hasn’t weighed him down. It may even have given him fortitude. The 20 year-old, born at the Guru Nanak Hospital along Thika Road has strongly embraced the Standered Chartered Impala Rugby Academy as added family.
‘’I spend alot of time at Impala. I always wanted to be here. I enjoy the close knit atmosphere”, asserts an emotional Mabwa.
Mabwa started his primary studies at St. Georges. Parental work commitments would soon necessitate a transfer to Gilgil Hills Academy, a school he enjoyed being in. He would soon join Musingu High School after a good KCPE performance.
‘‘I loved Musingu. I enjoyed the all-inclusive atmosphere. I played alongside KCB Lions’ Enterprise Cup captain, Edwin Salamba. Together, we moulded a formidable opponent our great rivals Kakamega High School among who was Kenya centre Fabian Olando”
” I then became homesick and transferred to Changala High School in the former Eastern Province”
Luckily for Mabwa, Changala had a rugby programme. He soon rose to team captaincy. He also captained the Eastern Province Select VIIs team to the Safari Sevens in all his years at Changala . ‘’I met coach Steve ‘Biggie’ Juma at one of the rugby tournaments in Eastern Province. We quickly struck a cord. Soon after, he invited me to Impala’’
The openside winger reminisces on when he joined the Academy. ‘The academy was initially just a concept. There were only 8 of us training regularly. We struggled to reach the quarter finals of our first Kibiku (community) tournament. In the next tournament, we reached the cup semifinals. Growth begun. to follow. We won the third invitation. We were in imperious form. That success was singular attraction to many players.”
His local player role model is Collins ‘Choo Choo Train’ Injera. Internationally, Tim Nanai-Williams of the Chiefs of SANZAR Super Rugby, is his inspiration. He admires Nanai-Williams’ speed, accurate chip kicks and, sometimes acrobatic offloads.
‘’My dreams of making my debut in the HSBC Sevens Circuit received a kick with Maxwell Theuri’s inclusion in the 7s team to Tokyo and Hong Kong. It convinced me that size isn’t everything,’ remarks the determined back.
His targets are clear: move to South Africa, edge Gio Aplon out of his position, then catch the 18 hour flight to Hamilton, Waikato Chiefs. His main aim is to become the first Kenyan ever to play for the New Zealand franchise.
The winger’s devotion to religion and philosophy is explicit. Quoting the bible, he rolls out a series of verses.He has championed the Academy’s motto: ‘One team, one dream, one call’. Mabwa asks a favour from the Rugby Fraternity; ‘Don’t call us Impala III. We’re the Standered Chartered Impala Rugby Academy. We have an identity’.
