A near full strength Samoa won't be showing all their tricks in Sunday's rugby Test against Australia, as they hope to meet the Wallabies in the World Cup quarter-finals later this year.

A side comprised totally of overseas based players was named for the ANZ Stadium encounter.

Highlanders' hooker Mahonri Schwalger will lead a side that includes five players from New Zealand and England, two each from France and Japan and one from Wales.

"We're pretty close to full strength but we won't be showing everything because hopefully we'll play Australian in the quarter-finals of the World Cup," Samoa assistant coach Brian McLean told AAP on Thursday.

"We expect to be very competitive.

"If you look at our results on the northern hemisphere tour late last year, we played England the week after Australia played them and Australia lost by 17 and we lost by 13."

None of the team that played in Samoa's final Pacific Nations Cup match against Tonga on Wednesday have been named in Sunday's run on side, but five of them have been listed on the bench.

While winger Digby Ioane was the only player from Queensland's Super title-winning team originally named in the Wallabies' starting lineup for Sunday, McLean believed Australia were still fielding close to half of their full strength lineup.

"If they were picking what they would consider their best team, and I know (Wallabies' coach) Robbie (Deans) would never admit this, but I'd say they have probably got seven of their very best XV playing," McLean said.

"I would have expected that's what they were going to do.

"They need to find out who they want to pick in their final squad, so they've got to give people an opportunity.

"To be fair it's probably a better chance to give them an opportunity when they play Samoa than when they play South Africa."

The Samoans certainly gave no impression they felt slighted or disrespected by facing a less than full strength Wallabies' side.

"Any Australian side is going to be a strong side," said Schwalger, one of 11 players in the squad with Super experience.

"Playing against an A-class team like Australia is going to be a big bonus for us to see the level we need to get to and where we're at as a unit."

Samoa team: Paul Williams, Sailosi Tagicakibau, George Pisi, Seilala Mapusua, Alesana Tuilagi, Tusi Pisi, Kahn Fotuali'i, George Stowers, Maurie Fa'asavalu, Taisina Tuifu'a, Daniel Leo, Kane Thompson, Anthony Perenise, Mahonri Schwalger, Sakaria Taulafo. Reserves:Tii Paulo, Census Johnston, Filipo Lavea Levi, Manaia Salavea, Brenton Helleur, Eliota Fuimaono, James So'oialo.

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