Paterson earned his 100th Test cap against Wales in this year's Six Nations © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Chris Paterson | Andy Robinson

Teams: Scotland

Scotland fullback Chris Paterson is facing a race against time to be fit for his country's tour of Argentina later this year.

The 32-year-old has not played since being hospitalised with kidney damage following Scotland's Six Nations defeat to Wales in February but he is desperate to be on the plane to Buenos Aires for Scotland's two Test series against the Pumas with clashes scheduled for Tucuman (June 12) and Mar del Plata (June 19).

"I think everyone's excited and, looking ahead, it could be a big year for all of us," Paterson told PA Sport. "I want to be in the best shape I can for my club side, to knock on the door to add to my cap tally and to continue to improve. That's what's driven me in 12 years of professional rugby - improvement - and I want to continue to do that."

Paterson has earned plenty of personal plaudits during his Scotland career, most recently when he joined the ranks of the Test centurions with his 100th cap against Wales, but has been starved of team success. It is ironic, therefore, that he missed what could ultimately prove to be a real turning point in the fortunes of his country: last month's final Six Nations match in Ireland. Paterson also sat out the prior defeat in Italy and draw with England, the first championship games he had not played in since making his debut in 2000.

"The Welsh game was my 50th Six Nations game in a row, so I had never missed that experience," said Paterson, who spent days in hospital following his injury before being allow to return home. He watched the Italy defeat from there, saying: "I was pretty groggy, so I couldn't take that much of it in. The English game was tough because it was the first time I'd been to Murrayfield and not played in 11 years - frustration there.

"But I was absolutely delighted to see the guys do so well in Ireland. Because trying to justify that we were doing reasonably well without the results to back it up was very difficult. But to get that victory to back up the hard work the staff and players put in was great to see."

So often Scotland's hero, Paterson was delighted to see Dan Parks steal the glory in Dublin, capping a Six Nations which yielded three man-of-the-match awards. Parks' performances signalled a remarkable renaissance for the Glasgow fly-half, who had been booed by his own fans on his previous Test appearance more 14 months earlier.

Paterson added, "He's a calm customer. He's had a lot to deal with, as everyone's said. It's great to see him answering the critics."