The Otago and Highlanders captain is well known for his eloquent if outspoken opinions at home, and did not disappoint ahead of the All Blacks' northern hemisphere tour.

Having criticised the drinking culture in the national team ahead of last year's tour, Oliver criticised England's supporters.

His comments were, to an extent, echoed by All Black vice-captain Aaron Mauger, who said he had experienced racism at the home of English rugby.

But the saga has made the front-rower think twice about his public utterances.

"In hindsight they were not the smartest things to have said," he told the stuff website.

"I knew the reporter pretty well and had an established rapport with him, we were just sitting in a foyer together and it was quite informal - it was quite a good lesson for me, well I've had those lessons before but obviously forgotten them.

"It wasn't meant to be inflammatory, which is quite hard to say when you look at what I said. Then Aaron got a big tub of fuel and threw it on it - he was just trying to back me up I think.

"In the future I'll steer clear of that kind of thing - I don't want to be attracting that kind of attention."