Home Nations Rugby heroes, No 16: Chris Paterson

Published on 01/02/2013 00:00

THE only Scotland player to reach 100 caps, Paterson was a mainstay of the national team from 1999 to 2011 and is the record points scorer with 809.

After emerging as a talented stand-off for his hometown club Gala in the late 90s, winning the Scottish Cup and Melrose Sevens in 1999, Paterson was given a professional contract with Edinburgh and made his Scotland debut in that year’s Rugby World Cup. He spent the majority of his pro career playing at full-back and wing.

Paterson became Scotland’s most capped player on the 2008 tour to Argentina, passing Scott Murray’s record of 88. He won his 100th cap in the 2010 Six Nations match in Cardiff in which he suffered a serious kidney injury that ended his season. He recovered to win a further nine caps for his country and retired after competing in his fourth World Cup in 2011. Paterson is now an ambassador and specialist coach for Scotland and Edinburgh.