Duncan Paterson
Encyclopedia
Duncan Paterson was a Scottish
rugby union
player. He played at scrum-half, for Gala RFC
at club level and was capped at international level for Scotland
. While he had a short and quiet international career, he served in the administrative offices of the Scottish Rugby Union
in the late 1990s.
. His most memorable match took place that same year against England at Twickenham Stadium
, where the Scots had not won since 1938. With Scotland trailing 5–9 early in the first half, Paterson picked up a loose ball near the centre of the pitch following a line-out, and successfully booted a drop-goal. With about six minutes remaining in the match, however, England held a 15–8 advantage. Paterson, receiving the ball from a ruck, box-kicked the ball down the right-hand touch line, where Billy Steele
appeared to knock it on. No knock-on was called however, and in a moment of hesitation by the English backs, Paterson swooped in and dotted the ball down for a try. Scotland went on to win 16–15 on a Peter Brown conversion of Chris Rea
's last-minute try. These would be the only points which Duncan Paterson scored for his country.
Paterson steered the Scottish team through two Rugby World Cup
s, the team reaching the semi-finals in 1991
and the quarter-finals in 1995
. He was also the team manager for the 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens
tournamanet, which was held in Scotland.
He is the uncle of Chris Paterson
, Scottish rugby's all-time leading points scorer.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He played at scrum-half, for Gala RFC
Gala RFC
Gala Rugby Football Club are a rugby union team based in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, founded in 1875, they play their home games at Netherdale....
at club level and was capped at international level for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
. While he had a short and quiet international career, he served in the administrative offices of the Scottish Rugby Union
Scottish Rugby Union
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...
in the late 1990s.
Playing career
Paterson earned his first international cap for Scotland against South Africa in December 1969. During the high-point of his career, Paterson started all of his country's matches during the 1971 Five Nations Championship1971 Five Nations Championship
The 1971 Five Nations Championship was the forty-second series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the seventy-seventh series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played...
. His most memorable match took place that same year against England at Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
, where the Scots had not won since 1938. With Scotland trailing 5–9 early in the first half, Paterson picked up a loose ball near the centre of the pitch following a line-out, and successfully booted a drop-goal. With about six minutes remaining in the match, however, England held a 15–8 advantage. Paterson, receiving the ball from a ruck, box-kicked the ball down the right-hand touch line, where Billy Steele
William Steele (rugby player)
William Charles Common Steele also known as Billy Steele, is a former Scotland international rugby union player.The first club he played for was Langholm RFC, in his hometown of Langholm in south west Scotland....
appeared to knock it on. No knock-on was called however, and in a moment of hesitation by the English backs, Paterson swooped in and dotted the ball down for a try. Scotland went on to win 16–15 on a Peter Brown conversion of Chris Rea
Chris Rea (rugby player)
Christopher William Wallace Rea is a former Scotland international rugby union player. He toured New Zealand in 1971 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Headingley Football Club in Leeds having previously played for West of Scotland..-References:* Massie, Allan A...
's last-minute try. These would be the only points which Duncan Paterson scored for his country.
Rugby administrator
With his international playing career behind him, Paterson turned his attention to a successful career in business, primarily in the knitwear and property sectors. In 1986 Paterson's role within the Scottish Rugby Union began in earnest when he was elected to the union's general committee. In 1990 he then succeeded Bob Munro as the team manager of the Scottish national team.Paterson steered the Scottish team through two Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
s, the team reaching the semi-finals in 1991
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
and the quarter-finals in 1995
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
. He was also the team manager for the 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens
1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens
The inaugural 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens was held at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Scotland, in April 1993. The International Rugby Board invited the established rugby union nations but also were keen to involve emerging nations in the event, recognising the fact that Sevens was providing the bridge...
tournamanet, which was held in Scotland.
He is the uncle of Chris Paterson
Chris Paterson
Chris Paterson is a Scotland internationalist who plays for RaboDirect Pro12 side Edinburgh Rugby. He is Scotland’s record cap and points holder with 109 caps and 809 points. Paterson is capable in a range of positions, including fullback, wing and fly-half. In recent years Paterson has played...
, Scottish rugby's all-time leading points scorer.