LYN Jones will make Newport Gwent Dragons a tougher nut to crack according to a man who enjoyed great success under the new director of rugby.

Alun Wyn Jones was a fresh-faced 19-year-old when he was handed an Ospreys debut against Leinster by the former Liberty Stadium boss in 2005.

Nearly eight years on the lock is a seasoned international campaigner with 70 Wales caps and skippered the British and Irish Lions in their series-clinching third Test destruction of Australia in July.

A smile broke across his face when asked what his mercurial former boss would bring to the Dragons; Lyn Jones is an engaging, colourful figure but there is method to the 'madness' – as shown by two titles and an EDF Energy Cup success at the Ospreys.

And his former lock believes tightening up a defence that was the RaboDirect Pro12’s worst, with 72 tries shipped in 22 games, will be top of his list of priorities.

"Lyn is definitely a character in the game and makes life interesting to say the least," said 27-year-old Alun Wyn Jones.

"But first and foremost he will make sure the basics, the foundations that rugby is formed upon, are done right.

"I should imagine that he will have them doing a lot of defence work because their attack, having played them a few times over the past few years, isn't too bad and they are quite a difficult team to defend against.

"I am sure he will look at a lot of defence and have a big emphasis on the forwards work. That's what we had when he was at the Ospreys and most coaches don't deviate too far away from what they are good at and know.

"The Dragons will be a tough opposition and if Lyn can stay there, get the continuity and players he wants then they are definitely going to keep going on the up.

"He has a pretty good rugby ethos and I hope he can stay there long enough to implement what he wants to see at the Dragons."