Pocock is returning from a 12-month sabbatical from Australian rugby and hasn't pulled on a Brumbies jersey since 2016 - and he won't until at least mid-March following knee surgery.

The Brumbies will fly out of Canberra on Tuesday night en route to Tokyo for their season opener against the Japan Sunwolves on Saturday, but coach Dan McKellar is yet to settle on a replacement for Pocock.

They've got no shortage of options at openside flanker with Lachlan McCaffrey, Tom Cusack and Lolo Fakaosilea in the frame to fill Pocock's boots.

McCaffrey and Cusack have both started in the No.7 jersey in trial games this season, and the competition for spots has left Carter thinking there won't be much trouble filling the role.

"Poey hasn't played with us for two years so we're pretty used to coping without him," Carter said.

"He's going to be a massive boost when he comes back fully fit and ready to go. I know it's a pretty hotly contested position, the No. 7 spot at the moment.

"It will be interesting to see who gets that spot on Tuesday when the team is named.

"Lolo has been putting his hand up at seven as well. They've all had a good crack, they all had a good opportunity against the [Melbourne] Rebels and then Cusack, McCaffrey and Lolo played pretty well against the [Waikato] Chiefs as well last Wednesday night.

"It's going to be interesting to see which way they go there because there is a couple of back row spots up for grabs this year."

Carter will share the captaincy duties with Christian Lealiifano again this season, and the playmaker's return to the field after overcoming leukaemia is set to lighten the load for the Brumbies lock.

Carter shouldered most of the workload in his first season at the helm and led the Brumbies to the finals as Lealiifano continued his recovery as a waterboy.

Now Lealiifano's presence on the field is set to see the Brumbies go from strength to strength as they await Pocock's return.

"Christian was doing a lot of the behind the scenes stuff last year," Carter said.

"When I've played with Christian before, he's always been the one that makes the calls on the field about the plays and what shape we're running.

"No doubt that won't change, it will be a pretty smooth transition for both of us, we'll both be looking to do as much as we can for the team."

The Brumbies will spend their first three matches of the season on the road, and Carter is desperate for a strong start given they will be facing three conference rivals.

The Brumbies have won the past two Australian conference titles and wins over the Sunwolves, Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels would put them on course for a third.

"It's important to start strong. We've been training for three or four months now together and we just want to start playing, and start playing some good footy the way we know we can," Carter said.

"It's really important to start well with three away games. If we can get some good results there, that will set us up for the three home games we have after that.

"There are teams that are tougher than others sometimes, teams that rise to the occasion and put on a good fight.

"We're just focusing on what we do first and the result will take care of itself."

SUPER RUGBY

Saturday: Round 2 - Japan Sunwolves v ACT Brumbies in Tokyo, 3.15pm.