The SA Rugby Union has written to the French Rugby Union (FFR) expressing the country's "dismay" at the performance of the national anthem before last Friday's Test match in Toulouse.

The South African anthem, 'Nkosi Sikelel iAfrica', was sung before France's stirring 'Marseillaise and the Rastafarian singer, Ras Dumisani, backed by two drummers of his Afrikhaya Band, made a mess of the four-language homage to the Rainbow Nation.

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers called the rendition "disrespectful" and vice-captain Victor Matfield said it was a "joke", as they vented their anger at the extraordinary shocking rendition of the anthem.

Now Saru has stepped in and demanded an explanation from the FFR as to how the Durban-born Dumisani got to be chosen.

"As a union we were shocked and horrified by the rendition of the anthem and I contacted the French Federation on Saturday morning to express our very grave concerns," Oregan Hoskins, the President of SARU, said in a statement.

"The performance of the anthem is a treasured part of any rugby international and we take great pains in this country in the selection and rehearsal of artists to ensure that we appropriately honour all anthems.

"Something went seriously awry in Toulouse and the upshot was that offence has been caused not just to the Springboks and Saru but to South Africans in general.

"I congratulate France on their [20-13] victory in the Test match, but look forward to their response on this important issue."

It was initially reported that the South African Embassy staff were fingered in the diplomatic row that has erupted after the shocking rendition of the country's national anthem.

French team manager Jo Maso said the choice of singer at each Test in France is made by the visiting team's diplomatic staff.

However, reports at the weekend claim that the FFR were provided with a "list" of South African performers and they chose Dumisani from that list.

Shoayb Casoo, a minister in the SA Embassy in France, said they provided a list to the FFR and certainly did not propose Dumisani.

"Those were merely entertainers we knew of that were in France," Casoo is quoted as saying.

"We certainly did not know if any of them could sing, or how well they could perform. They made the choice."

And according to reports Dumisani admitted on his Facebook page that it was the "sound system" that let him down.

He told the Afrikaans daily Beeld he informed the French beforehand, during sound testing, that his microphone was faulty, but nothing was done.

"If you can't even hear yourself, you certainly can't sing," Dumisani said, according to the report, adding that he ended up "shouting" the anthem.

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