Cooper, Messam, Folau, Cruden, Read: who clinched top spot in our Super Rugby player countdown?

OUR Top 20 Super Rugby players countdown concludes today with numbers 5-1 unveiled! Click through to find out who clinched top spot!

SUPER Rugby ramps us this week when the Australia and New Zealand conferences kick off after South Africa got the competition under way at the weekend.

To celebrate the return of rugby’s top provincial competition, we’re counting down the Top 20 Super Rugby players. Today we continue the countdown with 5-1.

A panel of experts from across the country — The Courier-Mail’s Jim Tucker, The Daily Telegraph’s Jamie Pandaram and Iain Payten, and Fox Sports News’ Gerard Middleton — have cast their vote, from which our final top 20 was formed. (All Blacks and Crusaders star Dan Carter is on sabbatical and will miss the majority of the Super Rugby competition, so he was not considered).

On Monday we unveiled 20-16, including David Pocock and Conrad Smith

On Tuesday we unveiled 15-11, including Michael Hooper and Julian Savea

On Wednesday we unveiled 10-6, including Richie McCaw and Bismarck du Plessis

What do you think of our Top 20 Super Rugby players list? Check out our interactive which includes the full list of players, and vote on every player

And join in the debate by letting us know what you think. Tweet us at @FoxRugbyLive and @Rugby_Gold by using the hashtag #SuperRugbyTop20

Quade Cooper returned to top form on last year’s tour of Europe.

5. Quade Cooper - Reds

Fantasy Super Rugby price: $325,000

The creative core of Queensland Reds has already shown he can guide a team to the title with his deeds in 2011. It’s hard to forget his two dummies in the lead-up to the super Ben Tapuai try against the Blues in the semi-final that year because the Fox Sports cameraman was fooled by the dummies too when twice switching focus to Cooper’s supports who never got the ball.

Cooper returned to his best form at five-eighth with the Wallabies on last year’s tour of Europe with greater confidence to run himself which makes all other elements of his game so much more dangerous.

The Reds win more than 70 per cent of the time when Cooper is playing. Apart from his big knee injury in 2011, he is resilient and plays every minute of every game. His well synched partnership with halfback Will Genia is a big reason why the Reds can beat any side on their day and must be strong title fancies.

Liam Messam has an outstanding all-round game.

4. Liam Messam - Chiefs

Fantasy Super Rugby price: $350,000

An absolute star performer for the Chiefs in their back-to-back premierships of the past two years.

Messam has elevated his game to phenomenal levels, with a spectacular work-rate and regular line-breaking ability now marking him as one of the most valuable players in the competition.

The backrower delivers when it counts most, starring in the Chiefs’ semi-final and final victories in 2012 and 2013, winning man-of-the-match in their title victory over the Brumbies last year.

- Jamie Pandaram

Waratahs Israel Folau (L) stunned the rugby community with his superb debut season.

3. Israel Folau – Waratahs

Fantasy Super Rugby price: $378,000

It’s scary to think Israel Folau isn’t even 25 yet. By the end of his second year in his third professional code, he may well be the most potent attacking weapon on the planet.

Folau scored eight tries in 14 matches in his debut season for the Waratahs, and equalled the record of 10 tries in a calendar year for the Wallabies.

Sound in the air and in defence, Folau is the complete package. Even scarier, his teammates and coach are adamant he can get better, and Folau agrees.

- Gerard Middleton

Cruden has been a key contributor to the Chiefs’ back-to-back titles.

2. Aaron Cruden – Chiefs

Fantasy Super Rugby price: $350,000

He’s the size of a jockey but Aaron Cruden is a big-game player, and his high standing in Super Rugby’s rankings doesn’t need much more explanation than that the Kiwi was the general behind the Chiefs’ back-to-back title wins in 2012-13.

Underlining his danger as a playmaker Cruden was equal first in the competition for linebreak assists in 2013, second in try assists and came in fourth in offloads. (Bernard Foley was on top in linebreak and try assists, highlighting his quality as well).

Cruden’s defence is solid for a small guy, and so too his tackle breaking. But it was his capacity to intelligently shift turnover ball into attack in the right areas – and usually points as well – that helped transform the Chiefs from a middle-ranking team into the dominant force of Super Rugby.

- Iain Payten

The game’s best player, Read also tops our list of the Super Rugby elite.

1. Kieran Read - Crusaders

Fantasy Super Rugby price: $326,000

A worthy winner of the IRB’s Player of the Year in 2013. At 28, Read is at the peak of his powers as a No.8 and forward who can change the course of games. He makes every gram of his 112kg frame count. Anyone who has tackled him knows he has an awkward bony hardness that makes him even more of a handful.

Most sides in the competition would kill for a support player like Read who ranges up with such great impact when linking into the backline. He does the hard graft in the pack, is a lineout target and leads by example.

The best player in the world on the ranking of many experts and one of the reasons the Crusaders will be right in the title hunt this season.