Pool C:This is Scotland's strongest World Cup squad yet, Chris Paterson tells Paul Rees

When Chris Paterson started training for the World Cup, rugby north of the border was in turmoil. The 29-year-old's club, Edinburgh, were embroiled in a bitter dispute with the Scottish Rugby Union only months after Borders had been closed down and the former national captain was one of several players who decided that it was time to leave the country.

He had a year left on his contract but was allowed to join Gloucester, much to the disgust of the SRU, for whom the transfer was the catalyst to buy out the Edinburgh owner Bob Carruthers, who had purchased the franchise the previous year, and resume the running of it. At the time, few gave Scotland much chance of edging out Italy for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals, but a few months on the Scots look the most harmonious of the four home union sides.

England are in disarray, Ireland are having to fend off media stories about player problems and Wales this week had to deny reports the players and management had fallen out over tactics. In contrast, Scotland have passed their opening two rounds in relative anonymity, though attention turns to them this weekend because the tournament favourites, New Zealand, visit Murrayfield tomorrow.

The Scotland coach, Frank Hadden, has rested some of his leading players - after beating Romania on Tuesday they face Italy next week - but Paterson, who has been switched from the wing to outhalf tomorrow, believes Scotland have a stronger squad than in either of his two previous World Cup campaigns.

"In the other tournaments I played in we had some players of real quality but our talent was not spread as thickly as it is now," said Paterson, whose 23 points in the opening two rounds this time have taken him to within 76 of Gavin Hastings's national record.

"People are saying that we are fielding some reserves against the All Blacks, but that not only does an injustice to the guys who have come in but it fails to take into account where we are now.

"Wales were accused of fielding a reserve team and effectively throwing their group match against New Zealand in the last World Cup and they very nearly won probably the best match of the tournament.

"We appreciate that it can never be said that anyone is likely to beat the All Blacks. Only two countries have defeated them since the last World Cup and, in car terms, you could say they are a Porsche to our top-of-the-range Audi. It does not mean that we are an underpowered motor, far from it, merely that in statistical terms they should win a race between us. But cars have blow-outs and break down. We can promise New Zealand that, at the very least, they will know they have been in a game."

The versatile Paterson is Scotland's second-most-senior player after Scott Murray in terms of caps, with 78, but the SRU's fears that his move to Gloucester would prompt his retirement from Test rugby have proved unfounded.

"I played for Edinburgh for eight years and, regardless of what was happening at the club, it was time for a change. Gloucester have progressive coaches in Dean Ryan and Bryan Redpath and I am genuinely excited about the prospect of playing for one of the most dynamic teams in Europe in front of the renowned Kingsholm crowd.

"I made it clear to Gloucester that I wanted to carry on playing for Scotland and they were totally supportive of that. These are exciting times for the national side and, while everything looked up in the air a few months ago, it never affected the players. All we can do is influence what happens on the pitch and there is a strong desire among the 30 of us to mount a World Cup campaign the country and the SRU can be proud of. We have been through a turbulent period but the atmosphere in our camp could not be better."

Scotland have yet to beat New Zealand in 25 attempts, which makes the Italy match their best chance of reaching the knockout stage. Anyway, finishing second in the group may offer a preferable quarter-final, with Argentina on course to top Pool D ahead of France and Ireland.