Jones has been at Llanelli since 1998, scoring 83 tries in 155 games

New Scarlets captain Mark Jones hopes their season opener with Leinster will be the beginning of a great 10 years.

"This is a potentially great squad of players," said Jones. "It's not a large squad but it's young and ambitious."

The Llanelli-based region had a poor first season at the new Parc y Scarlets stadium, hit by injuries, cash trouble, squad discontent and bad results.

They begin 2009/10 with a squad relying on youth as they host Heineken Cup champions Leinster on Saturday.

"I think it's going to be a big year for the youngsters and senior players to get the next 10 years of rugby at the Scarlets off on the right note," Jones told BBC Sport Wales.

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"I don't think that we're too far away [from the standards of the early years of the decade].

"It was a difficult year last year… in patches we showed our potential but there was too much inconsistency, we're looking to eradicate that this season.

"We hope it will be different [this year] in terms of injury first and foremost.

"Finances are far more settled... Hopefully results will be part and parcel of the result of that."

Builth Wells-man Jones, 29, has played 155 games in 11 years with Llanelli and the Scarlets, scoring 83 tries, and has won 47 Wales caps with 13 tries.

He takes over the captaincy from flanker Simon Easterby, who is taking on a player-coach role at the Scarlets this season.

"[The captaincy was a] huge honour, and one I didn't accept lightly," said Jones. "I'm just over the moon.

"I'm a pretty approachable guy, but I'm going to have to get nasty on occasions.

"First and foremost I want to play well myself, if others see that it will settle them.

I hope that a few of our players have still got a nasty taste in their mouth [from last season's defeat in Leinster] Mark Jones

"Leinster will be a great mind focus, [I've] no illusions about what this Magners League is about.

"If anyone [thought it was a] sideshow for the Heineken Cup then they're in for a rude awakening this week, there are some big match-ups on the opening weekend.

"Leinster are a phenomenal side, they really taught us a lesson out there towards the end last season.

"I hope that a few of our players have still got a nasty taste in their mouth [from the defeat].

"If we do beat them we won't suddenly be the greatest team in Europe.

"It would be a good start but we've got to keep our feet on the ground."

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