Alun Wyn Jones has warned that Wayne Pivac is likely to "draw a line in the sand" and "shave" his Wales squad down to the players he wants to work with at the World Cup.
The Lions skipper spoke out after Wales endured a shock defeat to Italy in their Six Nations finale, ending their title defence in embarrassing fashion.
Pivac spoke in his post-match press conference about learning from the experience and taking a step forward in Wales' three-Test summer tour to face world champions South Africa. Jones believes the Kiwi boss will select a travelling party only of players he sees being part of next year's global showpiece in France.
READ MORE: Why time might be up for Alun Wyn
Asked about how Wales can recover from their humiliating home loss, Jones said: "I think it's a bit cliched - when you win, you want a game next week, and when you lose, you want a game next week as well in equal measure.
"It'll be interesting to see what happens in the summer. Wayne's been pretty candid up to this point in the amount of changes that he's made. I'm sure he's going to draw a line in the sand going forward and select a squad that he's going to build on to the World Cup.
"We're just over 18 months out so he's going to probably shave that squad down to the people they want to work with. But, again, I don't think we can be too brazen and say that because we're a small player base anyway. You always have to be conscious of that."
Jones said he may have to readjust his own planned Test schedule in light of his recent return from a shoulder injury and lack of game time. Summer tours have often been used to develop new players with more experienced stars rested, but Pivac will want his strongest hand to take on the world champions.
"I had a plan to get to this point," said the 36-year-old lock. "Because I've been injured I probably need to potentially adjust that and see what happens this summer, but I'm still contracted and obviously Wayne and Boothy [Ospreys boss Toby Booth] will be in talks for that."
Pressed on whether that would mean he would miss the summer tour to manage himself in light of two successive shoulder injuries, Jones replied: "The other way around because I obviously haven't played. I didn't play in the autumn and obviously less games than I would have liked in the Six Nations.
"It depends whether Wayne wants to take me or not and, again, it's that relationship between region and I'm sure we'll find out in due course."
Admitting he felt "pretty good" in himself during Wales v Italy, Jones said of the team's performance: "You can't deny the frustration but sometimes you're architects of your own failures, and I think probably we were for parts of the game."
As for progress under Pivac and whether he can envisage Wales truly competing for the World Cup, Jones said: "It definitely can get better, can't it? I won't pull any punches on that."
A year after they won the Six Nations, Wales must reflect on a fifth-placed finish, losing four games and scoring just eight tries.
"I think we have to rewind 12 months. There was this big thing about giving opportunities to players and getting the strength in depth which we haven't had," said Jones.
"The melting pot of players is larger. It is down to us then, or Wayne to get the squad and essentially put a better product on the park.
"I think it's perceptions. Results promote chatter and opinion. The inevitable criticism that will come, it always does.
"Had we won with a plethora of points, it would have been the other way and focused on the opposition. There is inevitably going to be that critique, but that's what comes with playing professional rugby in Wales.
"We won a championship last year, but that seems to be forgotten pretty quickly. In the midst of a pandemic as well, with those other things going on.
"The stuff that resonates for a player is when we were on for a Grand Slam, we were termed potentially the worst team ever to be on for a Grand Slam. Admittedly, we did not win it, but as a player group there is belief there, individually and collectively."
