Boks hard to ignore: ahead of World Rugby’s awards, here's our World XV

World Rugby will name their World XV of the year at a gala dinner on Sunday but that has not stopped fans, pundits and commentators from having an early crack at the thoroughly subjective exercise.

We at TimesLIVE and TimesLIVE Premium have had a go too, and have put together a selection that reflects the Springboks' lofty position atop the world order. Last year on the back of their Rugby World Cup success, the Boks had five players in World Rugby's XV.

This year the top-ranked Boks have won 10 of their 12 Tests and marched to their first Rugby Championship title since 2019 in the process. Naturally World Player of the Year nominees wing Cheslin Kolbe, lock Eben Etzebeth, flank Pieter-Steph du Toit as well as Ireland's impeccable No 8 Caelan Doris feature in our line-up.

We have also taken the liberty of compiling a bench for those who narrowly missed out.

This was by no means an easy task as there were only a handful of players who maintained their form throughout the international season.

Let’s start back to front. The All Blacks' Will Jordan has made the transition back to the position he used to command with aplomb. His shift to fullback has in no way applied the handbrake to this rare talent. Argentina's Juan Cruz Mallia and the Wallabies' Tom Wright were also standout performers.

Kolbe has been one of the globe's brightest stars this year and gets our nod at right wing.

Italy's Tommaso Menoncello gets our vote for standout performances despite operating behind an often retreating pack. Jesse Kriel, who made World Rugby's team last year, almost got our vote.

France's classy Louis Bielle-Biarrey is our choice on the left wing, with Kurt-Lee Arendse hot on his heels.

Bok centre Damian de Allende gets our vote at the highly contested inside centre's berth. Scotland's Sione Tuipolotu runs him close, while the blockbusting qualities of Fiji's Josua Tuisova remain hard to ignore. He, however, does not have the body of work the others boast.

Special mention here for the Wallabies’ new backline sensation, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. On debut against England at Twickenham he produced moments of breathtaking brilliance. He displayed otherworldly skills but has played in just one Test.

Though he started in just half of his 10 Tests this year, Handré Pollard is our flyhalf. Curiously perhaps, he has done so without shooting the lights out. When he has stepped off the bench he has done so in a calm and composed manner to help give the Boks their killer instinct in the final quarter.

England's Marcus Smith has at times played out of his socks, but unlike Pollard he has been unable to bend the arc of history in his team's favour this year.

Los Pumas' Tomas Albornoz, Fiji's Caleb Muntz and New Zealand's Damian McKenzie all contributed to the flyhalves' highlights reel.

Antoine Dupont remains the game's pre-eminent scrumhalf. Interestingly though, the All Blacks' Cam Roigard delivered a performance of real authority against Dupont last weekend.

Doris is our No 8 with last year's player of the year Ardie Savea a close second. England's Ben Earl has delivered performances of real substance.

Du Toit wears our No 7 jersey, with the All Blacks' breakthrough player of the year nominee Wallace Sititi the No 6.

The robust, versatile and always present Tadhg Beirne gets our nod at No 5, while Etzebeth is just about unopposed at No 4. Perhaps in the same mould, Ireland's Joe McCarthy looks a player destined for an enduring Test career.

Perhaps the most difficult decision was separating Frans Malherbe and Ireland's Tadhg Furlong. In the end the Irishman got the nod with Malherbe's injury perhaps robbing him of the opportunity to finish the year strongly.

Our choice at hooker is the rejuvenated Codie Taylor, who has been at the centre of the All Blacks' most telling forward efforts this year. Malcolm Marx came close but the Bok line-out this year hasn't reached the heights to which we have become accustomed.

Ox Nche has again been unrivalled at loose head. The Wallabies' Angus Bell is perhaps the best carrying loose head around, while the All Blacks' Tamaiti Williams is starting to come into this own.

Nche, however, was in World Rugby's team last year and it would come as a shock if he doesn't make it again.

TimesLIVE's World XV

Will Jordan; Cheslin Kolbe, Tommaso Menoncello, Damian de Allende, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Handré Pollard, Antoine Dupont; Caelan Doris, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Wallace Sititi; Tadhg Beirne, Eben Etzebeth; Tadhg Furlong, Codie Taylor, Ox Nche.

Substitutes: Malcolm Marx, Angus Bell, Frans Malherbe, Joe McCarthy, Ardie Savea, Josh van der Vliet ; Cam Roigard, Marcus Smith, Sione Tuipolotu.