The ACT Brumbies will streamline their leadership group for the Super Rugby season, with new coach Stephen Larkham halving the brains trust to chase an elusive championship.
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Larkham and captain Stephen Moore will unveil the new three-man team - which is made up of Moore and two vice-captains - on Thursday, less than a month before their round-one clash against the Queensland Reds.
Larkham has the luxury of choosing between a host of Wallabies experience to give Moore assistance, including former Test captain David Pocock.
Pocock looms as the most likely candidate as he makes his comeback from consecutive knee reconstructions, having played just five games in the past two seasons.
The star openside flanker is still rated as a crucial part of Australia's hopes of winning the World Cup squad and several Brumbies are vying for Test selection.
The Brumbies boast Wallabies experience Nic White, Scott Fardy, Christian Lealiifano, Ben Alexander, Sam Carter and Matt Toomua as potential leaders.
It's a stark contrast to the club's rebuilding phase three years ago when there were just three Test players in the squad.
Larkham and former Brumbies director of rugby Laurie Fisher settled on a six-man leadership group to help Ben Mowen, with Moore, Pocock, Fotu Auelua, Lealiifano and Clyde Rathbone joining forces.
Moore will be given the task of leading the Brumbies after Mowen's departure to France.
But the 92-Test hooker is racing to be fit for the first match against the Reds and Larkham will need to appoint an interim skipper for two trial matches against the Western Force and Otago Highlanders.
The Brumbies boast plenty of Wallabies experience and lock Sam Carter insists they have leadership depth to be a title contender this year.
"Mowen has left but we've got Stephen Moore who is a fantastic leader ... I think we've got a great combination of leaders in the group," Carter said.
"Any one can step up in those roles now, we've got enough experience to provide a leadership figure for the group.
"We're looking for everyone to step up and take it to a new level, both with our game in general and in leadership roles."
The Brumbies are intensifying preparations for the season, which will be Larkham's as the sole man in charge of a professional team, after sharing the role with Fisher last season.
They finished a pre-season camp in Jindabyne last week after the Wallabies players cut their holiday short to fast-track the Brumbies' development.
The season also doubles as a crucial factor in World Cup selection as Wallabies coach Michael Cheika casts his eye over every player to prepare for the tournament in England and Wales in September and October.
Carter played three Tests on the Wallabies end-of-year tour to Europe and says he is ready to take on more responsibility in the Brumbies line-up.
Mowen was the Brumbies' lineout technician, but Carter or Fardy will take on the job of calling the plays when the season begins.
"Fards and I are both running lineouts at the moment, nothing has been set in concrete yet but one of us will take that on," Carter said.
"But we've got flexibility and that's the most important thing. Obviously I'm going to have to step up this year and I've got to improve, I'm looking forward to that challenge.
"The most important thing right now is playing consistent rugby for the Brumbies and not worry about the World Cup until the team's announced."
