THE SCOTSMAN WRITES
Paterson picks up Player of Season title



Chris Paterson with his Player of the Season award at Murrayfield last night.

Published Date: 21 May 2009
By DAVID FERGUSON
CHRIS Paterson last night collected the 2008-9 Player of the Season award from Scotland Rugby Supporters Club at the Scottish Rugby Awards dinner at Murrayfield.
The Borderer returned to Edinburgh this year after an unsuccessful season at Gloucester, and quickly cemented his place in the team and went on to set a new record of 95 Scotland caps.

He is also Scotland's leading points scorer of all time, with a personal tally of 738, having surpassed Gavin Hastings' previous mark of 667 on last summer's tour to Argentina.

Paterson also collected an award on behalf of Edinburgh team-mate, and another to have played his club rugby at Gala, Roddy Grant, for the Scotland Sevens Player of the Season.

The Magners League Player of the Season award, voted for by the rugby media, went to Glasgow and Scotland centre Max Evans, with his club-mates Kelly Brown picking up the award for Try of the Season and Richie Gray the Scotland Under-20 Player of the Season.

Fraser Harkness clinched a double when he was voted the Scottish Hydro Electric Premier Division One Player of the Season less than two weeks after picking up the Borders Player of the Year Award in Kelso.

The Selkirk full-back, who made his debut for the Scotland Club International side this season, had won the SHE Division Two Player of the Season title in 2008.

However, despite Ayr winning the Division One trophy for the first time in their history, it was Dundee HSFP who scooped the Club of the Year title after securing promotion back to the top flight.

Dundee's Danny Levison also won the Division Two Player of the Year award.

Lynne Reid was named Scotland Women's Player of the Season and Murrayfield Wanderers' Rhona Shepherd – the sister of former Scotland full-back, Rowen – picked up the Women's Club Player of the Year title.

This article was posted on 21-May-2009, 07:16 by Hugh Barrow.