We should all take a little step back.
ITV commentator Nick Mullins has come in for a mountain of flak this week following Fiji’s Rugby World Cup opener after a comment he made sparked fury amongst the viewing public.
Mullins took a lot of abuse for a line that wasn’t contextualised at the time and seemed bizarrely out of place.
“In the smaller villages, they will all be gathering around the one TV, the one satellite dish, hoping the generator doesn’t let them down,” he said of the Fiji fans during their game with England.
In hindsight, Mullins was simply making a reference to a quote from Fiji boss, John McKee.
In the build-up to the game against England, McKee was talking about how much rugby meant to the country and he himself came out with the notion which was referred to in the commentary.
“For the people back home, they are mad about rugby,” McKee said. “Everyone is glued to TVs in the cities. In the villages maybe they have got together and got one TV and a generator and a satellite dish to pick up TV.”
Obviously Mullins didn’t make that clear during the live game but ITV have accepted that there was no disrespect or stereotyping meant by the comment. The commentator came in for all sorts of criticism in the aftermath of the game, including Fiji winger Nemani Nadolo calling him a ‘muppet’.
But, in a statement to the Daily Mail, ITV have backed Mullins. And rightly so, in fairness.
“The Fiji RFU are aware of what’s happened and completely accept Nick’s remarks were a faithful reflection of John McKee’s comments,” the source told the Daily Mail. “They’re sympathetic to Nick, given the flak he’s come in for.”
