Paterson links up with England

Editor

Sale Sharks forward Michael Paterson has joined the England tour squad in Dunedin ahead of the second Test.

Sale Sharks forward Michael Paterson has joined the England tour squad in Dunedin ahead of the second Test.

The 29-year-old forward trained with the group ahead of the game against the Crusaders in his native Christchurch next Tuesday.

“We wanted some second row cover and with Michael having trained with us leading up to the Barbarians game and knowing our systems it made sense to call on him as he was in Christchurch visiting family,” said England head coach Stuart Lancaster.

“He trained well with us this morning and will be in contention for selection for what is an important match against the Crusaders.”

Michael Paterson joined Sale Sharks at the start of the 2013-14 season and has impressed in an Aviva Premiership campaign where they finished sixth to qualify for the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Paterson, who qualifies for England via his late English grandfather, was called up to the England training squad for the first time last month ahead of the tour to New Zealand and the Barbarians game in which he started.

A member of the New Zealand Under-19 World Junior Championship winning team of 2004 and an NZ Under-21 international, he spent four years playing Super Rugby – three years with the Crusaders and one year with the Hurricanes – before joining Cardiff Blues in 2010 where he was Player of the Year in 2012-13.