The new Wales captain missed the World Cup campaign through injury - but he was critical of the squad’s reluctance to move away from the attacking rugby that had been successful in 2005 and develop a more practical style.

The result was a pool defeat to Fiji and elimination before the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the first time in the professional era.

Within 12 hours head coach Gareth Jenkins had been sacked and Jones said at the time: “After showing the ‘Welsh way’ can be successful in the Grand Slam of 2005 we (as players) are desperate to show that it still can be.

“Not to heed the lessons that this tournament has offered, though, would be entirely ignorant.”

As Welsh rugby enters a new era, with Warren Gatland, Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley forming a demanding coaching unit, Jones is determined to hammer home the same message.

“Rugby is changing and evolving all the time and you have to keep up to speed and develop a game that can cope with it,” said Jones.

“It is about being more accepting of ideas. New coaches will bring in new ideas and as a player that is how you develop.

“Sometimes you need a fresh impetus and a change. That is what we have got and hopefully it will bring a fresh impetus to the Six Nations.”

Gatland does not suffer fools gladly. When he took over in November he vowed to “break” the players mentally and physically.

He believed they needed hardening up. In 2007 Wales enjoyed just one Six Nations victory, lost two Tests in Australia and then came that disappointing World Cup campaign.

Gatland is confident his message seems to be getting through.

“I’d rather win 3-0 playing ugly rugby than lose 48-46 playing attractive rugby,” he said at the official launch of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

“We can move the ball and play some attractive rugby if we get on the front foot and dominate the collision areas and get our set piece right.

“But if we don’t do that we have to play our rugby a bit smarter.”

Wales open their RBS 6 Nations campaign against England at Twickenham on February 2, a ground where they have not won since 1988.

Wales’ last visit to English rugby’s headquarters ended in a record 62-5 defeat shortly before the World Cup.