Coach Eddie Jones today announced a 23-man squad to travel to New Zealand tomorrow for the QR Queensland Reds first trial match of the year against the Auckland Blues in Whangarei next Wednesday.

Jones will play all 23 players in the match and said the focus for this match would be the set piece.

"We've been working pretty hard on the set piece so the scrum, lineout and first phase attack will be the priorities for this game," Jones said.

Jones won't name his starting team until Monday afternoon, and said the decision on who will play fullback would be left until then.

"We've still got two options there, in Peter Hynes and Clinton Schifcofske, but we won't be making a decision until Monday afternoon."

The match marks flyhalf Berrick Barnes' come back from a shoulder reconstruction.

The team includes a number of fringe players in the 2007 Investec Super 14, squad as well as Reds Academy players Gaven Warren (prop), Will Genia (halfback) and Brando Va'alu (utility back).

Man mountain Herman Hunt, who played for the Reds in last year's Australian Provincial Championship, has been drafted into the squad and upgraded to a full Super 14 contract and gets another chance to impress next week.

Players not selected, including Ben Tune, Mitch Chapman and Caleb Brown, will remain behind to continue extra strength and conditioning work ahead of the upcoming Investec Super 14 season

Reds squad to play Auckland Blues

Wednesday 17th Jan, 3pm kick-off (Queensland time)

ITM Stadium, Whangarei

Geoff Abram
Sean Hardman
Ole Avei
Herman Hunt
Berrick Barnes
Peter Hynes
Nic Berry
Lloyd Johansson
Andrew Brown
Tom McVerry
Quade Cooper
Ed O'Donoghue
Ben Coutts
John Roe
David Croft
Clinton Schifcofske
Charlie Fetoai
Cameron Treloar
Will Genia
Brando Va'alu
AJ Gilbert
Henari Veratau
Gaven Warren

Upcoming Reds trial matches

Sat 20 Jan - Reds v Manu Samoa, kick-off 7pm, Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast.

Fri 26 Jan - Reds v Highlanders, kick-off 7pm, Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast.