Four Thames Valley players have been named in this year's New Zealand Heartland XV squad.

Hayden Anderson, Moss Doran, Lance Easton and Tyrone Keith have been named in the 25 man squad selected for the three-match campaign being played in the North Island from November 7 to 13.

The team's first match will be against New Zealand Marist for the McCrae Cup before going on to face Australian Barbarians on two occasions.

Ten of the 12 Heartland Provincial Unions make up the squad with Wanganui flanker Peter Rowe captaining the side for the fifth time.

Mid Canterbury's Grant Keenan and Poverty Bay's Mutu Ngarimu will coach the team with Grant saying they had the right blend of skill and experience for the team to be competitive in the upcoming series.

'Mutu and I are very excited with the squad that's been selected. Each player has excelled for their respective provinces and deserves their selection in the side.”

He says the blend of youth and experience in the backline and forward pack will provide a strong set piece and physicality in the breakdown area.

'As a coaching group, we're well aware of the quality of athletes that the touring Australian Barbarians will bring and understand that we each need to be at our very best during the upcoming matches.

The squad will assemble in Wellington on November 4, ahead of their first match in Masterton on November 7. The two Australian Barbarian games will be played at Levin Domain at 5.30pm on November 10 and Cooks Gardens, Whanganui at 6pm.

New Zealand Heartland XV: Cole Baldwin, Jackson Donlan, Matt Fetu, Ralph Darling, Timaru Tafa, Kurt Simmonds, Adam Ross, Craig Moore, Eric Duff, Fraser Hammond, Bryn Hudson, Peter Rowe (captain), James Goodger, Hayden Anderson, Lindsay Horrocks, Zayn Tipping, Stephen Perofeta, Tim Priest, Moss Doran, TK Moeke, Lemi Masoe, Lance Easton, Tyrone Keith, James Hemara, Mike Tambour.