Christopher Douglas Paterson MBE (born 30 March 1978) is a Scottish former professional rugby union player. Today, he is an ambassador and specialist coach for the Scotland and Edinburgh rugby union teams; Paterson represented the latter for the vast majority of his career. He is Scotland's record points scorer with 809 points and second most-capped male player with 109 caps. He was capable of playing in a range of positions, including fullback, wing and fly-half.
Paterson retired from international rugby in December 2011 and as a professional player in May 2012.
Paterson started his rugby career with hometown club Gala, the highlight being a solo try that won Gala the 1999 Scottish Cup at Murrayfield. Soon after Paterson turned professional by signing for Glasgow where he played only two games before signing for Edinburgh Rugby. In becoming a professional player he dropped out of the University of Edinburgh where he was studying to become a PE teacher.
From 2000 until 2002 Paterson played in the Scottish/Welsh League, the predecessor to the competition now known as Pro14 (prior to the addition of Irish teams). He was part of the Edinburgh squad that reached the Heineken Cup quarter finals in 2003–04. For seven years he was a mainstay of the Edinburgh squad. With the ongoing dispute between the SRU and then Edinburgh Rugby owner Bob Carruthers over the refusal to release Edinburgh players for a pre-2007 World Cup training camp, Paterson left Edinburgh for Gloucester by mutual consent. On 24 July 2007, Paterson signed a three-year contract with Gloucester.
Paterson's spell with Gloucester was largely disappointing due to limited game time throughout the 2007–08 season. It was announced on 2 May 2008 that Paterson would return to Edinburgh Rugby for the 2008–09 season
He played 14 games during his stay scoring 38 points, the highlight being a 50-metre breakaway try in the derby game against Bath
Paterson re-signed for Edinburgh Rugby upon leaving Gloucester and has remained a fixture in the line up ever since.
One of Paterson's top skills – his goal-kicking – was typified in Edinburgh Rugby's last home game of the 2008–09 Celtic League season which saw a 43–3 home win against Newport Gwent Dragons on 9 May 2009. Paterson scored 28 points, kicking nine from nine with five penalties, four conversions and a try.
As of 4 April 2012, Paterson is the 5th highest points scorer in Pro12 history with 778 points (21T 113C 4D 145P). He played his last professional match against Benetton Treviso on 5 May 2012 at Murrayfield Stadium. Despite an unusually long absence from the score sheet partly owing to injury, Paterson scored Edinburgh Rugby's third try of the match leading to a 44–21 victory.
Paterson earned his first cap for Scotland against Spain in the 1999 Rugby World Cup as a fullback. This was his only appearance during the 1999 World Cup. Scotland went on to reach the quarter finals before losing 30–18 to New Zealand.
In Paterson's next appearance during the 2000 Six Nations Championship game versus France, Paterson scored his first points for Scotland converting two penalties and a conversion in the 16–28 loss. Later that year Paterson scored his first Scotland try during the 2000 tour of New Zealand during the 48–14 loss at Eden Park, Auckland.
During the subsequent years Paterson became a fixture in the Scotland team. His consistent performance for club and country earned him a place in Scotland's 2003 Rugby World Cup squad.
During Scotland's opening 2003 Rugby World Cup game Paterson scored two tries and kicked a conversion and a penalty during a 32–11 win against Japan. In the next game against the United States Paterson scored 19 points, including a try, during a 39–15 win. Paterson played in the subsequent win and loss against Fiji and France to help Scotland qualify for the quarter final stage. In the 2003 Rugby World cup quarter-finals, Scotland lost 33–16 to Australia at Lang Park, Brisbane.
Paterson scored 71 points during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was named the team's player of the tournament.
On 15 November 2004 during Scotland's record 100–8 win
over Japan game at McDiarmid Park, Perth he overtook Andy Irvine to become Scotland's second highest points scorer, behind Gavin Hastings. He scored 40 points (three tries, 11 conversions and one penalty). This remains a record points haul for a Scottish player in a test match.
Two weeks later on 27 November 2004 against South Africa he became the youngest, and lightest, Scottish player ever to earn 50 caps, aged 26, and weighing in at 78 kg.
On 26 February 2005, Paterson equalled the scoring record set by Gavin Hastings for one game of six penalties converted in the 18–13 win over Italy. Paterson was the BBC's full-back of the 2005 Six Nations Championship.