Halfback Brett Sheehan is the sole Wallaby spring tourist included in the NSW Waratahs squad for their opening pre-Super 14 season rugby trial against Queensland in Toowoomba on Saturday.

Coach Chris Hickey named 15 players with Super 14 experience in a youthful 28-man squad and, with the exception of Sheehan, who'll start from the bench, opted to rest his international stars.

Sam Norton-Knight, Matt Carraro, Tom Carter, Kurtley Beale, Will Caldwell, Rob Horne and Sheehan headline the squad and are the only players included who took part in last season's Super 14 final loss to the Crusaders.

New recruits Scott Fava (Force) and Peter Playford (Brumbies) were named in the starting XV, as was lock Chris Thomson and prop Dan Palmer, who were recently elevated to the senior squad.

Hickey, in his first season as a Super 14 head coach after taking over from Ewen McKenzie, said his players had been focussing on the trial against the Reds since returning from a development tour of Fiji.

"It's time to test our preparation in a match situation," said Hickey.

"This match is about testing our structures, but it also presents the first real opportunity for players to put their hand up for selection ahead of the Super 14.

"We know Queensland will be without a number of their internationals as well, but this match is going to be extremely hard fought and it's a chance for quite a few players to show they can handle this level.

"If they take that opportunity and put into practice what we've been preparing for all pre-season then we'll come out of the trial with the answers we're looking to find.

"That's what trials are all about."

NSW Waratahs: Sam Norton-Knight, Tim Bennetts, Matt Carraro, Tom Carter, Peter Playford, Kurtley Beale, Jeremy Sua, Scott Fava, Ben Coridas, Ben Mowen, Kane Douglas, Chris Thomson, Dan Palmer, Damien Fitzpatrick, Jeremy Tilse. Reserves: Nath Nicol, Martin Plotskys, Dave Dennis, Will Caldwell, Daniel Halangahu, Rob Horne, Brett Sheehan, Tim Archibald, Lachlan McCaffrey, Sitiveni Mafi, Mark Preston, Rowan Kellam, Mitch Inman.

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