Springboks fuming over 'joke' anthem

[pieter blackie]

The Springboks were left fuming at the "disrespect" shown to their national anthem before Friday's 20-13 Test match defeat by France.

The South African anthem was sung before France's stirring "Marseillaise" and the singer, sporting dreadlocks and backed by two tribal drummers, butchered the three-language homage to the Rainbow Nation.

At the anthem's conclusion, large parts of the crowd were laughing and several Bok players looked over angrily as the singer made his muted departure from the field.

"I must convey that we are annoyed by the fact that the French disrespected our anthem," blasted South Africa coach Peter de Villiers.

"They didn't get someone who really knows the thing and show any respect for it. We expect people to show respect to the anthem of any other country."

Vice-captain Victor Matfield said it had taken some of the wind out of the Springbok sails just moments before a kick-off in front of a hostile Toulouse crowd.

"It's almost like receiving a jersey - every week's a special moment," Matfield said of lining up to sing the anthem.

"Every time you go out on the field and sing the national anthem, it's very important for us and that's something that fires you up because it really fires you up because you know you're playing for your country.

"It was a joke out there. The guys couldn't sing along to it and even the crowd were starting to laugh. It was very disappointing

http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/bre...1114-if8t.html

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxAc6O_WBFE&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube- Springboks / National Anthem (Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika) vs France[/ame]

[slomo]

the games on onehd just now......
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[normie]

Wow! I love Sacha Baron Cohen's new character. He's almost as good as Borat.

[sandgroperrugby]

That is absolutely disgusting I would be pissed as well. For once I whole heartedly agree with PDV

[mudskipper]

Nobody expects duelling bongos.... However drums check this dude...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9bFPsVtXgY&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube- Thomas Lang - Best drum solo of the world[/ame]

[Lonzy]

yeah ... that was crap ... shoulda just handed the mic over to the players, I'd imagine they'd do a lot better job!

[James]

I don't know if I would really care if someone stuffed up Advance Australia Fair. Mostly because its a bit of a lame anthem. I missed the anthems and only flicked on the game so I don't really know about the South African one but to blame the loss for it is a bit weak I mean if it really mattered that much it should fire you up enough to want to go out there are destroy something.

[jazza93]

LOL french people are legends! this was definatly planned to annoy them and it worked.

[beige]

I don't know if I would really care if someone stuffed up Advance Australia Fair.

You obviously don't remember that young Polynesian dude forgetting the words to our anthem before a Bledisloe test in NZ a few years ago.

That French effort was pretty disgusting to be honest.

[Darren]

Persoanlly, If the Australian national anthem was butchered like that, I'd likely be laughing - but that's just me (although I'd guess many other Aussies would do the same - it's part of our larrikin heritage).

However - that was pretty attrocious and I don't blame the Bokkes for being offended!

I doubt it could have had any negative effect on the outcome of the game....

[Burgs]

Yeah, for me there are some things that there's no excuse for, respecting someone else's national anthem is pretty high up there.

Ours gets butchered all the time by wanker Australian singers trying to give their totally inappropriate "interpretation" that no one can sing to, but at least that is our own doing.

That said, they don’t especially help themselves with these multi language odysseys!

[blueandblack]

I don't know that is was a deliberate act. Certainly it was shi....rubbish and disjointed but the singer just sucks. Probably from another country in Africa too.

[brokendown gunfighter]

the guy was on the weed big time

[Elf1]

the guy was on the weed big time

I thought the same thing GunnyIt was absolute crap.

[qld supporter]

That was an unforgivable insult ...the S.A. team was already in extended line , they should have just assaulted straight thru that rabble and sung it themselves.
Great pity they didn't win the game....