Summer series put to bed... so who makes the cut for our best World XV?

FORMER Wales centre Mark Taylor has left the Scarlets for personal reasons.

Taylor, 45, had been team manager in Llanelli for the last two seasons, having taken on the post from Garan Evans.

A Scarlets statement read: “Scarlets team manager Mark Taylor will leave the region, with immediate effect, for personal reasons.

“Well respected by Scarlets colleagues and peers across the rugby fraternity Taylor was a part of the management team when the Scarlets were crowned Guinness PRO12 champions in May 2017.

“A replacement will be recruited in due course to ensure preparations for the forthcoming season are unaffected.

“Everyone at the Scarlets wishes Mark all the very best for the future.”

Taylor played for Pontypool, Swansea, Scarlets and Sale during an illustrious career that saw him capped 52 times for Wales.

He captained his country on two occasions and also represented the British and Irish Lions in Australia in 2001.

Taylor had been team manager for Wales Under-20s before linking up with Wayne Pivac’s squad at Parc y Scarlets. WALES finished their Test programme a week last Saturday and after the weekend the rest of the northern hemisphere has followed suit.

It seems a reasonable time to consider who are the best rugby players on the planet right at this moment in time.

We asked MARK ORDERS to make the calls for a World XV...