Kaitāia brothers James and Jordan Lay are at their second Rugby World Cup with Samoa.
Kaitāia brothers James and Jordan Lay are at their second Rugby World Cup with Samoa.
When Samoa kicks off its Rugby World Cup campaign in a couple of weeks two brothers from Kaitāia will be propping up the team in the quest for glory.
Jordan and James Lay, who spent their early years in Kaitāia after coming from Samoa aged around 7 and 8, are regulars in the Samoan squad and are big players in the team’s forward pack.
Proud parents Murray and Serephina will be tuning in to the Rugby World Cup (RWC) keenly following their boys as they play on the biggest stage in the sport for the second time, after both went to the last RWC in Japan.
Murray Lay said the brothers were born in Samoa, where he was working at the time, and the family came to Kaitāia when they were young, getting schooling first at Pamapuria School, then at Kaitāia Intermediate, before going to Auckland to study at King’s College.
Kaitāia’s James Lay will again play for Samoa in a Rugby World Cup, along with his brother Jordan.
He said the brothers learned their initial rugby skills in Kaitāia and have then expanded on them after moving to Auckland. They play for the Auckland Blues in Super Rugby and Auckland in the NPC.
‘’We’re both just so incredibly proud of them. To have two brothers from a small town like Kaitāia make one RWC is amazing, for them to make two is outstanding,’’ he said.
Growing up in the Far North helped build the strength and resilience the brothers needed to make it on the international stage, their father says.
‘’They played rugby up here and still have many friends here so there’ll be a few people around taking an interest in how they do.’’
The way the draw goes it’s unlikely Samoa will play the All Blacks at the RWC, barring an upset during pool play.
But, Murray Lay says, if that happens and his boys face the ABs there’s only one team he’ll be cheering for - Samoa.
Jordan Lay, and his brother James, will be propping up the Samoan scrum at this year’s Rugby World Cup.
And the team is in pretty good form ahead of the big dance. In a warm-up match on Saturday, Samoa played world number one ranked team Ireland, with the Irish taking the close game 17-13.
Jordan Lay is a 30-year-old Samoan rugby player standing at 1.85 m tall and weighing in at 115kg, who currently plays for Blues in New Zealand as prop.
He has worn 43 caps for Samoa, playing all games at loosehead prop.
James Lay is a 29-year-old Samoan rugby player standing at 1.78 m tall and weighing 120kg, who currently plays for Blues in New Zealand as prop.
He has 15 caps for Samoa, playing 10 times as loosehead prop and five times at tighthead prop.
Samoa kicks off its RWC campaign against Chile on September 17, followed by games against Argentina on September 23, Japan on September 29, then against European heavyweight England on October 8.
