Lock Sam Carter was split open in the warm-up and had blood running down his face on the eve of the Brumbies' clash against the Wellington Hurricanes.

Bench forward Jordan Smiler also needed to have his head taped up after the Brumbies exchanged some friendly fire to signal their intent this year.

The Brumbies begin their Super Rugby campaign on Friday night and take the first step in their pursuit of their first title in 12 years.

Coach Stephen Larkham invited Cosgrove into the Canberra Stadium sheds to present jerseys to the players and offer some advice.

But with a starting XV boasting 10 Wallabies and Argentinian No. 9 Tomas Cubelli, the Brumbies know the challenge they face.

"We've got good experience in the group at the moment ... the more experience you have the easier it is to come in and hit the ground running," Larkham said.

"Every game is important, we saw that last year. We lost four games by less than four points and that hurt us at the end [of the season]. You want to get off to a good start, we get to play at home and it's going to be a good game."

Larkham will give young prop Allan Alaalatoa a chance to stake his claim as a potential "future Wallaby".

The 22-year-old will start in the front row ahead of incumbent Test loosehead prop Scott Sio, who has been recovering from elbow and knee injuries picked up in a gruelling World Cup campaign.

Cubelli and fullback Aidan Toua will make their Brumbies debut in the starting side while Queanbeyan's Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin hopes to earn his first Super Rugby cap from the bench.

Christian Lealiifano will get first crack in the flyhalf position with Matt Toomua as his playmaking partner at inside centre.

Lealiifano will also co-captain with Stephen Moore for the first time and Larkham said the pair had worked out the kinks for the new leadership system.

"On the field it's pretty self explanatory – Steve is in charge of the forwards and Christian will be in charge of the backs. Steve will have the overriding say with the referees in this first game," Larkham said.

The Brumbies have been touted as one of the championship favourites given they boast one of the strongest squads in the competition.

But Larkham says reputations and pre-season hype counts for little when they run out against the Hurricanes.

Former All Blacks scrumhalf and seven-time Super Rugby champion Justin Marshall said the Brumbies must prepare for a "pivotal year".

"The last two years they've been more than competitive, and they've got themselves into the finals. They're a side that's consistently good," Marshall said.

"But the squad they've got and the personnel with Stephen Larkham there has great potential.

"This is the year where I really think they have to fulfil that potential, and I think they're capable of it. They've got a great squad, a really well balanced back line and good forwards.

"There were some question marks about their front five [forwards] last year, but they stood up. This year – yeah, I think the Brumbies are going to be competing for the title."

SUPER RUGBY ROUND ONE

Friday: ACT Brumbies v Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium, 7.40pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.

BRUMBIES TEAM: 15. Aidan Toua, 14. Henry Speight, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 12. Matt Toomua, 11. Joseph Tomane, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 9. Tomas Cubelli, 8. Ita Vaea, 7. David Pocock, 6. Scott Fardy, 5. Rory Arnold, 4. Sam Carter, 3. Ben Alexander, 2. Stephen Moore, 1. Allan Alaalatoa. Reserves: 16. Josh Mann-Rea, 17. Scott Sio, 18. Leslie Leuluailii-Makin, 19. Blake Enever, 20. Jarrad Butler, 21. Michael Dowsett, 22. Andrew Smith, 23. Nigel Ah Wong.

* For more details on the Brumbies' campaign to raise money for Fiji, visit brumbies.com.au