Jannie du Plessis, Francois Steyn (c) and Bismarck du Plessis of Montpellier celebrate after beating Harlequins in the 2016 Challenge Cup Final

South Africa are in the middle of a crisis at the moment, with head coach Allister Coetzee faring unfavourably in his opening seven months at the helm.

In 11 Tests under the 53-year-old, the Boks have slumped to seven losses, including a first ever defeat to Ireland on home soil, a record defeat at the hands of New Zealand in Durban, and an unprecedented loss to Italy. England also recorded a first win over South Africa in 10 years earlier this month.

South Africa's 1995 World Cup-winning fly-half Joel Stransky said last month that South African rugby is "rotten from the bottom up and top down" and needs radical reform if recent results are to be overturned.

One of South Africa's major problems is an inability to cope with the money being offered to their players by overseas clubs, with the Top 14 a particular lure for seasoned campaigners looking to cash in on their trade before retirement.

South Africans who play abroad are still eligible to play for the national side, with Johan Goosen and Willem Alberts recently featuring in the Rugby Championship, but there are plenty of South Africans playing in the French league who have been largely overlooked by Coetzee and his staff. Could those players challenge the Springboks in a game? We assemble a potential team...

15. Francois Steyn (Montpellier)

Francois Steyn has not played for the Springboks since 2012

Steyn made his debut during South Africa's autumn international tour in 2006, but it was at the 2007 World Cup in France that he caught the eye of the rugby public at large.

However following some off-field issues, including alleged friction with SARU over image rights, the 29-year-old played his last Test for the Boks more than four years ago. Given his current form under Jake White at Montpellier, is it time for Steyn to be reintroduced to the South Africa setup?

14. Paul Jordaan (La Rochelle)

La Rochelle's Paul Jordaan played for South Africa U20s for two years

A relatively unknown quantity for northern hemisphere fans outside France, but Jordaan made a name for himself in South Africa playing in the Sharks midfield in Super Rugby before moving to La Rochelle earlier this year.

The 24-year-old can play either on the wing or at centre, and played for the South Africa U20 side in 2011 and 2012 as well as the South Africa 7s team.

13. Robert Ebersohn (Castres)

Robert Ebersohn moved to Castres after a stint with Montpellier

Ebersohn rose through the ranks alongside twin brother Sias, with whom he played Super Rugby for the Cheetahs. Sias then had a stint in Australia with Western Force, while Robert signed for Montpellier before making the move to Castres.

The 27-year-olds were touted as possible Springbok regulars when they first arrived on the scene, but neither has managed a cap for the national side as yet.

12. Meyer Bosman (Stade Francais)

Meyer Bosman made his Bok debut at the age of 20

Bosman was another young talent who was thought to be something special when he first emerged on South Africa's rugby landscape.

Testament to his talent, he was handed a debut for the Boks in 2005 at the age of 20 before he'd even played any Super Rugby. However since then, Bosman has only been picked on two further occasions, with his appearance off the bench in South Africa's 49-0 thrashing at the hands of the Wallabies in 2006 his last taste of international rugby.

11. Gio Aplon (Grenoble)

Gio Aplon has won 17 caps for South Africa

Aplon won the majority of his 17 Springbok caps under Peter de Villiers but did make one appearance in the Heyneke Meyer era, starting at full-back in South Africa's 14-14 draw with England in June 2012.

Aplon has struggled to cement a spot in South Africa's back three, with the likes of Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen preferred ahead of him on the wing, and Zane Kirchner and Willie le Roux keeping him out of the No 15 jersey.

10. Morne Steyn (Stade Francais)

Morne Steyn is behind Pat Lambie and Elton Jantjies in the pecking order

Morne Steyn's series-winning kick for the Springboks against the Lions in 2009 was only his second appearance for South Africa, having made his debut in the first Test the week before.

Steyn was preferred by Meyer for much of his time in charge of the Boks, but these days it is Pat Lambie and Elton Jantjies who are fighting it out for the No 10 jersey while Handre Pollard is out injured.

The 32-year-old was drafted into the squad when Lambie picked up an injury against Ireland, but was employed as a replacement behind Jantjies.

9. Charl McLeod (Grenoble)

Charl McLeod moved to Grenoble from the Sharks in 2014

McLoed has won one official cap for the Boks, taking the field as a replacement in a 40-7 defeat to the All Blacks in 2011, but also played for South Africa against the Barbarians at Twickenham in 2010.

The scrum-half was a mainstay with the Sharks in Super Rugby, starting in the No 9 jersey when the Sharks last featured in a final in 2012, before signing for Grenoble in 2014.

1. Heinke van der Merwe (Stade Francais)

Heinke van der Merwe has five Springbok caps

Leinster fans will be familiar with the powerful loosehead prop who featured for the province when they won the Heineken Cup in 2011 and 2012.

The front rower traded Dublin for Paris three seasons ago, and now has his sights on a Top 14 title to go alongside his European medals. The 31-year-old has played five times for the Springboks but has struggled to get game time behind Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira.

2. Bismarck du Plessis (Montpellier)

Bismarck du Plessis moved to Montpellier with brother Jannie

In a country where size is heralded in a tight-five forward, 32-year-old Du Plessis made a name for himself as an athletic hooker acting as an extra loose forward at the breakdown.

Following the retirement of John Smit in 2011, Du Plessis was afforded more game time as a starter, but shared duties with Adriaan Strauss.

Bismarck joined older brother Jannie on the plane to Montpellier last year, while Strauss is now captain of the Boks - however Strauss has announced he will retire from the international game at the end of 2016 which could allow Bismarck to add to his 79 caps.

Highlights of England's opening Autumn International against South Africa at Twickenham. Highlights of England's opening Autumn International against South Africa at Twickenham.

3. Jannie du Plessis (Montpellier)

Jannie du Plessis last played for the Boks in the 2015 World Cup

The versatile prop has amassed 70 Tests since making his debut along with his brother in July 2007 but his last game came against Argentina in the third-place play-off of the 2015 World Cup.

The 33-year-old was not part of Coetzee's plans for much of this year, though he was drafted into the squad briefly following several injuries to first-choice players, before later withdrawing due to the birth of his second child.

4. Flip van der Merwe (Clermont)

Flip van der Merwe was part of the Bok team that beat England in the 2012 June series

Playing in the No 4 jersey for South Africa in the past decade meant competing with Bakkies Botha, which has not afforded Van der Merwe many opportunities.

However the second rower still managed to represent the Springboks 37 times, taking part in some of their more memorable games in recent times, including all three Tests of the series win against England in 2012.

5. Juandre Kruger (Toulon)

Juandre Kruger has played 17 time for South Africa

Kruger made his debut in that series against England, starting the three Tests alongside Eben Etzebeth, with Van der Merwe featuring from the bench.

The second rower has played 17 Tests in total, with his last one coming in October 2013 in South Africa's 37-28 loss to the All Blacks, a game that has been called one of the greatest of the modern era.

6. Juan Smith (Toulon)

Juan Smith tore his bicep earlier in the season

Smith is currently out injured with a torn bicep, but since arriving at Toulon in 2013 he has won the hearts of his adopted fans in France.

Formerly a one-club man with South Africa's struggling Cheetahs, Smith has found renewed energy in the Top 14, and even earned a recall under Meyer after previously retiring from internationals.

7. Jacques du Plessis (Montpellier)

Jacques du Plessis has been a rampaging ball-carrier for Montpellier

Du Plessis has not yet played for the Springboks, but it is likely only a matter of time before he is called upon. The 23-year-old has been a wrecking ball for Montpellier in the Top 14 and his side sit fourth in the table after 12 games this season.

The 19-stone loose forward has been unfortunate to play in the same era as the likes of Schalk Burger and Francois Louw, but certainly has a future for the national side if he maintains his heroics.

8. Duane Vermeulen (Toulon)

Duane Vermeulen has been overlooked by Allister Coetzee due to his conditioning

Vermeulen was an ever-present under Meyer, but after coming back from injury earlier this year Coetzee declared the No 8 surplus to requirements due to his conditioning. Though it won't have gone unnoticed that Vermeulen's absence coincided with his recent comments about South African rugby's poor state.

Warren Whiteley appears to have won favour with Coetzee in the absence of Vermeulen, but until the team starts winning on a regular basis, no places are guaranteed.

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