England 7s skipper Pat Sanderson's has been ruled out of the IRB World Series tournaments in Chile and Argentina next week with a leg injury.

The Evening Standard reported that Sanderson, the Harlequins flanker, was due to captain the team for these two key events in the World Series which is acting a as a build-up to the Commonwealth Games competition in MAnchester in August.

London Wasps scrum-half Mike Friday will take over the captaincy in a squad that includes fellow Wasp Josh Lewsey, the England international full-back.

Saracens supply wing Richard Haughton while Harlequins provide Ben Gollings and Nick Duncombe for the two tournaments in Santiago from 4-5 January and in Mar del Plata from 11-12 January.

Joe Lydon, the England 7s coach, expects to use a considerable number of players in the coming months as club matches take their toll on his squad.

Lydon told the newspaper, "We had some good training sessions at the Penny Hill Park hotel last week. The Chile and Argentina tournaments present us with an excellent opportunity to build on the progress we made in Durban earlier this year where we made the semi-finals.

"It is essential that we continue the momentum we have created as we approach future legs in the series, including Twickenham in May 2002 and ultimately the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

The England Sevens squad: Mark Cueto, (Sale), James Forrester, ( Gloucs), Andy Hazell, (Gloucs), James Simpson- Daniel (Gloucs), Nick Duncombe, (Harlequins), Ben Gollings, (Harlequins), Rob Thirlby, (Bath), Josh Lewsey , (Wasps), Mike Friday (Wasps, captain), Geoff Appleford, (London Irish), Russel Earnshaw, (Rotherham), Richard Haughton, (Saracens).