Rugby: Paterson not going to rush into coaching

Paterson, 34, hung up his boots at the end of last season after a career that saw him become both most-capped player and record points scorer.

Immediately he was snapped up by the governing body with a view not only to promote rugby, but eventually to enter coaching. In terms of coaching, Paterson spends one day a week attached to the Edinburgh and Glasgow professional teams as well as assisting at age-group level.

However, taking the plunge into full-time coaching is not currently on the radar – even at a time when several positions north of the Border appear fluid with an interim panel having charge of the national side.

Speaking of his coaching ambitions, he said: “I was studying to be a PE teacher before I turned professional so it’s along those lines still and something I’ve considered.

“Hopefully with experience I have built up and the number of games I was lucky enough to play, along with the number of hours I’ve been coached, it’s an overused phrase, but I want to put something back in.”

However, the former full-back added: “I don’t see myself as a coach at all at the moment. It is about learning at all levels.”

Asked again about any coaching ambitions, Paterson outlined his current duties, adding: “I’m so fortunate to still be in rugby every day in so many ways. I still watch a lot of rugby, go to a lot of rugby and I’m still in close contact with guys I played with at Edinburgh.

“I work one day a week with Edinburgh and Glasgow. I work a lot with under-16 and under-20 players. I do special skills with players from Caledonia to Edinburgh and the Borders.

“There’s also work with the under-18 national side.”

So when might he commit totally to coaching, if at all?

“I don’t have a goal to be a head coach of this team or that team in so many years,” he said.

“(My goal) is to learn as much as possible in the next two years.”