Career
He toured South Africa in 1980 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Instonians. Patterson studied law at Bristol and played for English Universities and British Universities. He rejoined Instonians on his return to Ireland and was selected for Ulster and capped by Ireland Bachelor in 1977 before winning his first full cap for Ireland against New Zealand in 1978.
His career came to a premature end when he suffered a serious knee injury playing against Griqualand West during the 1980 British Lions tour to South Africa, after having been scrum-half in the first three internationals against South Africa.
