A leader and dedicated team member, James Lay is a well-respected member of Moana Pasifika.

Lay was born in Moto’otua, Samoa and raised in the Far North where he enjoyed a fun and laid back childhood.

His parents Serafina and Murray owned a dairy that serviced their area, 10km south of Kaitāia in a place called Pamapuria.

He attended Kings College in Auckland and made his way onto the professional rugby scene through Auckland’s NPC side in 2016.

Lay grew up dreaming of donning the blue and white of Manu Samoa. He achieved that going on to play in two Rugby World Cups for Samoa in 2019 and 2023.

The prop had a stint with the Bristol Bears in England, and made his Super Rugby debut for the Blues, who he played 12 caps for. His older brother James also plays for the Blues.

In the set piece department, Lay is one of the finest in the competition. He can play on both sides of the scrum, putting him in top company among front rowers.

Off the field, Lay is a coffee connoisseur and barista. He graduated from the Auckland Unviersity of Technology with a Bachelors degree in Business Marketing and Business Design.

Moana Pasifika debut: 2024 v Highlanders 
Nick Name: Layzer, Jimmy
Junior Clubs: Glenfield RFC, Kaitaia RFC, Takahue RFC
Senior Clubs: Auckland University RFC, Pakuranga RFC
2023 NPC Team: Auckland
Try Celebration Song: WWE- Steve Cold Steve Austin