 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 9 May 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Christchurch, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 107 kg (16 st 12 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michael Paterson (born 9 May 1985) is a rugby union player for the Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership. Previously he played for the Cardiff Blues in the Pro12 league. He plays as a lock or blindside flanker. Paterson has represented the New Zealand under 21s but is yet to gain a cap for the All Blacks. Before moving to Cardiff, Paterson was considered by many to be a strong contender to join the New Zealand squad.[1][2]
Patterson joined Northampton Saints for the 2015/16 season where he has been a key player for the first team and made few appearances for the Saints' second team, Northampton Wanderers.
The lock has since racked up 36 appearances in a Saints shirt and most recently helped the Wanderers secure the Aviva 'A' League title, as the side beat Gloucester United at Franklin's Gardens and lifted the trophy.[3]
Having completed three years residency at the beginning of the 2012–13 Pro12 season, Paterson became eligible to play for Wales.[4] Eligible to play for England, through an English grandfather, Paterson was selected for the England squad to face the Barbarians in the summer of 2014.[5]