The former Gunnedah native has been named to start at No.8 for the Queensland Reds in their season opener against the Brumbies on Friday night.

"It's obviously a massive childhood dream so being able to do that this weekend, I can't wait for it," he said.

Speaking to the Namoi Valley Independent on Wednesday, Wilson said the nerves hadn't hit yet.

No doubt they will, but the 20-year old has excelled every time he has had to step up to the next level.

On the back of a brilliant year, with Wilson starring for the Junior Wallabies, named the Alec Evans medallist as Queensland Premier Rugby's best player and the National Rugby Championship Rising Star, it seemed almost a question of when, not if, Wilson would play Super Rugby.

He learnt he was to make his debut at training on Monday.

"We were doing lineouts and then Thorny (Reds coach Brad Thorn) named the forward pack.... obviously I was pretty excited when I found out," the former Red Devils junior said.

Part of the Reds' wider training squad last season, Wilson admitted he did start to doubt himself a bit when he didn't get a game last year.

But then the World Under-20 Championships put him firmly in the spotlight.

He was the second top tackler for the tournament and touted as being destined for stardom.

Elevated to the main squad this season, it brought the prospect of playing Super Rugby tantalising closer.

It fuelled him through a long, and tough, pre-season.

All he was thinking about was Round 1 at GIO Stadium.

Asked how how this pre-season felt different to last year, Wilson said he was probably a lot mentally stronger.

"I was probably a lot more confident in that I know I probably deserve to be here more this year compared to last year," he said.

"So every drill, every contact, and every 15-on-15 opposed session we did I was a lot more confident, wanting my hands on the ball, backing my skill.

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"Last year I'd second guess myself and wait for other people to do stuff and follow them."

That has translated onto the field too. Wilson was one of the standout performers for the Reds in their trial games, his form making him hard for Thorn to ignore.

"He's a big strong boy at the back there, a highly skilled footballer and good cricketer, good hands. He's been working hard and he gets an opportunity," Thorn told RUGBY.com.au.

For his part Wilson was pretty happy with his efforts.

The first trial was against a virtually second string Rebels outfit but the second was against a Wallabies-laden Waratahs.

"Versing the Waratahs with Wallabies all over the park was probably the most ideal hit-out you could have had before a Super Rugby game so that's given me a lot of confidence and I know it's given the team a lot of confidence," Wilson said.

That he has got the nod at eight is an added bonus.

"I'm very stoked to get the eight, first game," he said.

"It gives me a real opportunity to play as best I can. It's the position I've always really played and the one position I'm most comfortable in."

He said it will "mean a lot" to run out onto GIO Stadium - a reward for all the sacrifice, and justification that he chose the right sport to "put my heart and soul into".

It's also a motivation to "keep going hard in rugby".

Unfortunately his mum won't be able to get to the game due to a family wedding but he will still have an entourage there to cheer him on with his dad, brother Will and a few cousins making the trip.