The project, which involved 7,000 schoolchildren from diverse backgrounds known as La Mêlée des Chœurs, featured choirs singing each country's anthem without accompanying music. However, the response from inside the stadiums was less than positive.
During the opening weekend, France's anthem, 'La Marseillaise,' Ireland's 'Amhrán na bhFiann,' and other well-known anthems were played, but they did not go down well with fans watching at home and abroad.
France became the first side to agree to the use of this new version for their match against Uruguay. All other nations have 48 hours to decide if they want to use the refreshed Rugby World Cup anthems.
Rugby World Cup organisers bow to pressure and re-record ‘disturbing’ anthems https://t.co/LDCKQDOH4v
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) September 13, 2023
A World Rugby statement this week read: "The France 2023 Organising Committee, World Rugby, and the French Ministry of Sport, in agreement with the Opéra-Comique and participating teams, have agreed to remixed versions of the national anthems, performed by La Mêlée des Choeurs, an educational and artistic project that involves more than 7,000 schoolchildren in the 2022-2023 school year. The remixed anthems will retain the recordings of the children's voices while enhancing the instrumental elements.
"Following positive feedback on the approach, a number of unions, notably France, have agreed to the use of these new versions, with final confirmation from all teams to be achieved in the next 48 hours.
The same statement thanked La Mêlée des Choeurs and teachers for their involvement in the project.
"All parties involved in the process would like to extend our warmest thanks to the students of La Mêlée des Choeurs, the teachers from the Education Nationale, the Maitrise Populaire, and the Opéra-Comique, who have been passionately involved in this project since its inception.
"We would also like to thank the teams for their full support and look forward to fans getting behind their teams as the anthems are played."
