Steve Hansen speaks to media about the halfback situation for the All Blacks.

Andy Ellis appears set to start at halfback when the All Blacks take on Samoa next month.

The 31-year-old played the last of his 26 tests for New Zealand when he came on as a substitute in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final.

The emergence of Aaron Smith and the selectors' preference for the more youthful TJ Perenara and Tawera Kerr-Barlow has resulted in Ellis being unable to break back into the All Black fold.

MARTIN HUNTER/GETTY IMAGES Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis is expected to wear the All Blacks No 9 jersey against Samoa in July.

However, all signs are pointing to Ellis being given the nod for the Apia test alongside long-time Crusaders and Canterbury team-mate Dan Carter, who is expected to start at first five-eighth.

Head coach Steve Hansen fronted media as the team got their first camp of the year under way in Auckland on Wednesday and when asked if Ellis was likely to play gave a strong indication that would be the case.

"I'd say [that is] definitely likely," said Hansen.

PETER MEECHAM/stuff.co.nz All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and No 8 Kieran Reid look ahead to this year's Rugby World Cup.

"TKB [Kerr-Barlow] is going to play for the Maori, which is three days later, and Aaron Smith and TJ [Perenara] are both involved with their games. I'd suggest he might play."

Hansen ruled out Kerr-Barlow, who is coming back from a knee injury after a nine-month layoff, until at least the first Rugby Championship match against Australia in Sydney on August 8. The Chiefs halfback will play club rugby this weekend and for the New Zealand Maori side against Fiji in Suva on July 11, three days after the All Blacks face Samoa.

And with Aaron Smith (Highlanders) and Perenara (Hurricanes) involved in Super Rugby semifinals on Saturday and a possible final next weekend, it would not be a surprise to see Ellis start in the historic Samoan fixture.

As hinted at by Hansen when the All Blacks squad was named on Sunday, Brad Weber has been called up for the initial camp. However, the young Chiefs halfback is only likely to get a chance through an injury to one of three incumbents or an all-Kiwi Super Rugby final.

"Any All Black who gets a recall is normally extremely excited and that's how he feels," Hansen said of Ellis.

"It's a dream for a lot of people to be an All Black and when you lose that opportunity you have time to reflect on it and understand how much it really meant, so when you get another opportunity I think you're probably better prepared to make the most of it, so Andy's excited."

Blues midfielder George Moala and prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi were also training with the team.