Future and former Wallabies coaches Eddie Jones and Bob Dwyer have weighed into the debate after a brutal match between the British and Irish Lions and NSW, the duo claiming the tourists instigated the brawls.

"There were still a number of off-the-ball incidents and last night they escalated into something nasty and it must be stopped," Jones said from Wellington, where his ACT Brumbies are on tour preparing for their match against the Lions next week.

"I think there's a constant pattern of off-the-ball incidents. They're treading on guys, going in after the tackle and hitting players and last night NSW retaliated, no-one condones the way NSW retaliated."

"The Duncan McRae incident - definitely something went on beforehand and Duncan retaliated," Jones said of McRae's pummelling of opponent Ronan O'Gara, leading to McRae copping a seven week ban.

"If the accusation is that there was premeditated mayhem on our part, my answer to that is the first incident of the game in which a punch was thrown was that by Danny Grewcock," Dwyer said.

"If I had wanted someone to start some mayhem it certainly wouldn't have been Duncan McRae I can assure you."

Lions coach Graham Henry thinks otherwise though, claiming that his side was being wrongly portrayed as the party at fault, while current Wallabies coach Rod Macqueen is wary of the first test next week becoming an ugly contest.

"There seems to be some agenda about what we are as a rugby side ... there's been some agenda to create an impression about the Lions," Henry said.

"Obviously we're wary of it after seeing what's happened in the last couple of games," Macqueen said. "But we're certainly looking to play good open rugby and I'm sure that would be Graham Henry's sentiments, it should be a good open game."

Dwyer also labelled the tourists overrated after they had beaten his side 41-24 last night, saying that their efforts in both last night's win and last Wednesday's loss to Australia A showed they were more vulnerable than people may have thought.

"I think the last two games have taken away from what we saw as a phenomenal side," Dwyer said. "Even though we realised they were playing against not quite as good opposition, we all thought they had been fantastic. I think the last two games has taken away from it a bit."

"I thought the Lions would be favourites, now I'm saying I think Australia will be slight favourite."

Henry isn't convinced his team should be favourites either, saying the Lions have to work harder and perform better if they are to match Australia next weekend.

"We've got a long way to go," Henry said. "If we're going to beat Australia we have to improve considerably from where we are at the moment."