It was always going to crucial to Chris Paterson to determine himself when he would bow out of the Scotland shirt he wore 109 times, and he’s happy that the best time is now.
The 33-year-old has confirmed that he is retiring from the international game, 12 years after he made his debut against Spain in the 1999 World Cup.
He leaves as Scotland’s most-capped player, the record all-time points scorer with 809, and tantalisingly two short of being the record try-scorer.
He had targeted the World Cup in New Zealand as his finale, but reconsidered briefly about playing in his 13th Six Nations Championship before opting to make the break now.
”I totally believe it’s the right time for me,” he said at Murrayfield on Wednesday.
”The long-term goal was to get to a fourth World Cup in New Zealand, and I thought I’d retire after that, but getting there, being happy with my performance, especially the way I played against England in the last game, I felt I could go on.
”If the Six Nations had been a month after the World Cup, I would have thrown myself into it wholeheartedly as usual but now I’ve had time to think about it.
”It’s a difficult decision you don’t want to have to make but the sad fact is that you can’t go on forever, and being lucky enough to control my decision was a big factor. I’ve always said I wouldn’t devalue the jersey and hang about too long. Although it’s a difficult decision, I know it’s the right one and that makes it easier.”
Paterson spoke to Scotland head coach Andy Robinson, backs coach Gregor Townsend and people close to him like Rob Moffat, his former schoolmaster and coach for Edinburgh for many years, before making the decision.
He added: ”The feedback was that it was the right time. I could I do another Six Nations and part of me would love to but then there’s a summer tour, autumn internationals, the decision had to be made sometime.
”The final game in Auckland against England was pretty special, I half-knew it might be my last but now I know that, it’s something I’m proud of, and the only real regret is that we didn’t win it.
”Other than there’s mistakes you remember, why didn’t you kick that, score that try, but there are no real regrets. Ian McGeechan said that you don’t own the jersey, you just fill it for a while and have a responsibility to those who wore it before and you family, friends and supporters and I always felt that duty.”
It’s possible that ”Mossy” is maybe Scotland’s best-loved player, even though he played in an era where Scotland often struggled and simply through his incredible longevity only two serious injuries in a decade he was on the losing side more than any other international player in rugby history.
However, the Murrayfield crowd had a warmth where Paterson was concerned that was unique, a special relationship that no Scotland player has ever had.
”Words can’t cover it, do justice to the support I’ve had. It’s been phenomenal, there have been many times I’ve had goosebumps because of the cheers,” he said.
”All I ever wanted to do was make these people proud, I wanted them to look at me and say, he’s given everything he has, everything to the jersey to represent us.
”If that came across in the level of support I’ve had it really makes me proud. Whoever gets the jersey now will get the same, I’m sure, and I’ll be among those on the other side of the fence giving the support.”
Paterson’s contract with Edinburgh lasts until the end of the current season and there is an option for another year, but he’ll make that decision nearer the time, and the time now is to ”celebrate my career and what I’ve achieved.”
Beyond that he is interested in coaching and staying in rugby he’s a qualified PE teacher as well as having 12 years of hands-on experience at the top end of the game and SRU chief executive Mark Dodson made it clear that the Union have every intention of ensuring he does.
Dodson said: ”We’ll be having discussions to Chris about his future because we think it is essential to keep him within the Scottish Rugby family. What we have here is a walking embodiment of everything that’s great about the Scottish game and we’d be foolish not to use Chris’ experience and ability.”
Photo by David Cheskin/PA Archive.