Edinburgh's Mike Blair will captain a side featuring six players making their first senior starts for Scotland, including Saracens full-back Robbie Kydd, as Williams puts phase one of his long-term development strategy into motion.

Despite their failure to shine in the Super 12, the Reds promise to be a formidable unit with coach Jeff Miller to announce that all five of their current Wallabies - Wendell Sailor, Chris Latham, Nathan Sharpe, John Roe and captain Elton Flatley - will start.

None of those five are guaranteed a starting berth for Australia in the first Test against Scotland on June 13 and need big games on Saturday to alert Wallabies coach Eddie Jones.

But there are Test places up for grabs in the Scotland squad too and an encounter of high intensity is exactly why Williams brought his players on this month-long tour. A first victory over the Reds would just be a welcome bonus.

Williams said: "As we said there are so many players making their first start, we are looking for the process. It is the first step for the vast majority of this team.

"Really, what we are looking for is a process of how we play, how we defend, how we attack and these guys have just been exposed to that and we are looking for them to put that into practice.

"We are here to win every game, but whether we win, or whether we lose, the process of development continues. We are on tour to give these guys opportunities against high-quality opposition like Queensland and New South Wales.

"We have a long-term goal and we have got 18 months of very hard work ahead.
"If we win, fantastic. If we lose, it doesn't change what happens Monday. Monday is the same - win, lose or draw."

Few in Australia expect much from the touring Scotland side, who have not won an international in six attempts since their last-gasp victory over Fiji in the pool stages of the World Cup last November.

Some commentators have suggested the Australian rugby public should expect a similar rout in the Test matches they witnessed when England brought a development squad Down Under in 1998 and were thumped 76-0 by the Wallabies.

After three defeats to Queensland and a 15-15 draw in 1992, there are fears too that Scotland might open the tour with a demoralising defeat at Ballymore on Saturday.

But that kind of talk irked Williams and his sidekick, Todd Blackadder, who vowed that despite the inexperienced line-up, their players lacked nothing in character, heart and desire.

"We are not intimidated by them. A lot of what has been said is not complimentary to the players we are putting out," said Williams.

"There are opportunities for guys like Robbie Russell and Mike Blair to push for Test selection and certainly in the back line there are a lot of positions available.

"There are some very fine players we are putting out there. We will welcome the challenge from a great side like Queensland."

Scotland named Newcastle's Craig Hamilton and Alastair Kellock from Edinburgh in the second row of a pack with an average age of just 24.

"We have got some good players here. We play in some tough competitions in the UK, " said Blackadder.

"It's an exciting challenge for our guys. We have got what I believe is a pretty strong forward pack.

"They are inexperienced but they will be keen enough. I am pleased Queensland are putting out their best side so our guys can measure themselves.

"These players are pushing for Test places. This is our national team. The boys will run out there with a lot of pride and will give it their all. They'll be ready for it."

Most of the players who lost to the Barbarians at Murrayfield last weekend were not considered for selection having only just arrived in Australia.

They are holed up in a different hotel to allow the advance party - plus selected others who did feature against the Barbarians like Allan Jacobsen, Andy Hall, Cameron Mather and Stephen Cranston - time and space to focus on their preparations.

Williams indicated that every member of the 40-man squad would get a chance in the first three matches, against the Reds, NSW Country and the Test against Samoa in Wellington.

After that, Scotland return for a match against Williams' old side, the NSW Waratahs, before the back-to-back Tests against his native Australia.

Teams:
Queensland Reds (possible): C Latham; W Sailor, J Pelesasa/L Johansson, S Kefu, S Barton; E Flatley (capt), J Valentine; N Stiles, S Hardman, A Mathison, N Sharpe, V Humphries, J Roe, D Croft, L Doherty.

Scotland: R Kydd; S Lamont, B Hinshelwood, G Morrison, Hugo Southwell; G Ross, M Blair (capt); C Smith, R Russell, A Jacobsen, C Hamilton, A Kellock, A Hall, J Petrie, D Macfadyen.
Replacements: S Scott, J Brannigan, S MacLeod, C Mather, G Beveridge, S Cranston, G Morton.