The All Blacks Almost Famous Five: is little Mitchell Drummond the next big thing

Mitchell Drummond - is he the third halfback? Photo / Photosport

Ageless Andy Ellis has been called up to face the All Blacks in the opening game of their northern tour next month.

The former All Black and Crusaders stalwart, who plays in Japan, returns to the Barbarians for the November 5 match at Twickenham.

The World Cup halfback will be joined by extended All Black squad members Dillon Hunt, Atu Moli, Mitchell Drummond, Richie Mo'unga, and Dominic Bird. Those five players are pencilled in to the All Black side which plays a French XV in Lyon 10 days later.

There will be particular interest in Drummond - the All Blacks selectors still appear uncertain who will be the third halfback and have continued to select Tawera Kerr-Barlow even though he is heading to La Rochelle.

The Almost Famous Five

Mitchell Drummond
Have the All Blacks finally signalled their halfback on the rise? The Nelson-born 23-year-old has been in the champion Crusaders set up for three years. A former World Cup under-20 player, Drummond was hit by a broken leg suffered in training during last year's Mitre 10 Cup campaign for Canterbury. A light, sort of lanky halfback with a strong pass who the selectors will hope is in the Aaron Smith mould. They are big steps to follow though...the halfback situation must still be regarded as muddled.

Atu Moli
Under-20 World Cup winning captain. Former test prop Carl Hoeft is among those to anoint him a player with a huge future. The 22-year-old Chiefs tighthead was born in Gisborne, schooled in Marlborough. Weighs in at 127kg. On the periphery of this year's Rugby Championship squad. The young giant to watch, alongside New Zealand Maori selection Tyrel Lomax.

Dillon Hunt
The bolter, and about as close as you get to an accidental star these days. The 22-year-old made his Super Rugby debut this year and left his mark on the Brumbies early on, when Highlanders coach Tony Brown reckoned his side were down to their fifth openside flanker. Hails from North Harbour, schooled at Westlake Boys High, and went to Dunedin to study.

Richie Mo'unga
There's a definite opening at first five-eighths. A fit Beauden Barrett rules supreme but Lima Sopoaga is a marginal selection and Damian McKenzie's No. 10 education only really starts next year with Aaron Cruden having left the Chiefs. The 23-year-old Mo'unga is another former national under-20 player. Has already had a taste of the All Blacks environment this year. Came of age during Crusaders' title run, but still plenty of convincing to do including from the tee.

Dominic Bird
Already the tallest All Black, at 2.06m, the 26-year-old played tests in Tokyo and Edinburgh in 2013/14. Moved from the lock-laden Crusaders to Chiefs in 2016 to revive his career. Scott Barrett's sub-par performance in Brisbane may have the All Black selectors re-thinking their lock selections, particularly as Barrett is a touch small by international standards.