Former Carterton School and Wairarapa College pupil Brent Wilson is one of two players called into the New Zealand rugby sevens team for this weekend's IRB tournament in Los Angeles. Wilson , 23, and Jason Hona of Bay of Plenty have been named as replacements for captain Liam Messam and RoyKinikinilau, both of whom suffered knee injuries when helping New Zedaland to victory at the Wellington sevens last weekend. Messam will undergo surgery this week on his right knee in what is a recurrence of an earlier injury. He could be sidelined for up to four weeks. Kinikinilau also has a problem with his right knee and will see a doctor tomorrow to determine the extent of his injury. Wilson has been on the fringes of selection for the national sevens team over the past couple of seasons but the Los Angeles tourney will represent his debut for the side. He made his mark as a flanker or No.8 when playing under the late Roger Dee for the Wairarapa College first XV in 1998 and 1999. In 2000 he was in Otago where he played for their colts side and then came a shift to North Harbour and he has been a member of their 15-a-side team for the last two years in the NPC first division competition, mainly playing on the blindside flank. He was also a member of the Auckland Blues development squad last season. Wilson's immediate family of father Craig, mother Ann and brothers Aaron and Mark still reside in Carterton New Zealand is in pool B for the Los Angeles tournament and their opposition there will come from Samoa, Scotland and Uruguay.
