The South African camp admitted that they were outplayed by a better team during France's 20-13 triumph in Toulouse on Friday, but the Springboks were fuming at the disrespect showed by the French to the SA anthem.

A trio of rastafarian singers who were woefully off-key and at times completely forgot the words of Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika, South Africa's national anthem, appeared as though they may have indulged in too much of their medicinal herbs.

The French crowd found the mockery of their rivals' anthem humorous, the Boks were cringing while it was sung and fumed after the match.

Bok coach Peter de Villiers said the French deserved the win, but was furious with the hosts after the South African anthem was massacred.

"We were annoyed with the fact that the French disrespect our anthem," De Villiers told a post-match media briefing.

"They didn't get somebody there who really knows [it] and show any respect to it," he said.

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."

"Getting to the game, you can't play the game without the ball. We allowed them onto the ball a lot. They won the contest on the floor and in the contact situations we lost too many balls. They were the better side on the night."

France kept world champion South Africa scoreless in the second half to come back and win the Test 20-13.

After trailing 13-11 at the interval, France defended brilliantly and conceded only one penalty chance to the Springboks.

In remaining unbeaten at home against South Africa since 1997, Julien Dupuy gave France the lead for good in the 49th minute with his third penalty. He added a fourth with 20 minutes to go and his late replacement, Morgan Parra, slotted a fifth.

At full-time, the French received a standing ovation from the crowd and did a lap of honor.

"It does bode well for the future. Things are starting to take shape, this match would have pleased our glorious ancestors," France coach Marc Lievremont said.

"It is a satisfaction that we were able to control the game, in terms of our kicking and handling. We could even have had two or three more tries if we'd finished off our chances."

Within 30 seconds Bakkies Botha and opposite lock Lionel Nallet were involved in a tussle - the first of several for the huge Bok.

"Of course it was a very hard game, you have to match the aggression of players like Botha and [Victor] Matfield, and I think we did that out there," France captain Thierry Dusautoir said.

"We're carrying on from the New Zealand [win in June] and we have managed to keep the same team spirit from the summer tour."

Matfield, who also criticized the rendition of the anthem, praised the French for inflicting only the second loss of the year on South Africa.

"They had more intensity than us, they were one second quicker to everything," Matfield said. "It's about turnovers, that's where they won it really."

What is your take on the anthem butchery? Comments below!

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