Both first team captain Mike Blair (ankle) and vice captain Allister Hogg (hip) are ruled out through injury, so Paterson, who missed the previous match against Dragons because of a foot infection, has been selected to lead the side.
Moffat believes the 31-year-old will prove to be a sound choice for the job and inspire second-placed Edinburgh to their fifth Magners League win of the season.
Moffat said: “What we have been trying to build for a while now is a group of leaders and we are fortunate to be able to call upon someone like Chris with his experience and I’m sure he will lead by example.”
After starting every match for Edinburgh so far this season and featuring in all three Autumn Tests for Scotland, Phil Godman has been rested for the match at Parc y Scarlets and Moffat believes it is important that the stand-off’s wellbeing is managed carefully.
He added: “I think it is important that Phil is managed well over the course of the season, in terms of his game-time. He played in every match for Scotland, but he has also played a lot of rugby for us as well.
“We just thought it was sensible to rest him this week and to give him time to freshen up.”
Godman’s replacement, David Blair last started for Edinburgh almost nine months ago coincidentally at the same venue, Parc y Scarlets. But Moffat believes the former Sale back will be an able replacement in the playmaker role.
He said: “David has got a chance this week and I’m sure he will take it. He has been around a while – he is 24 and he has been a professional for about five years, so he is an experienced campaigner.”
Greig Laidlaw, named man-of-the-match following Scotland A’s win over Tonga, takes over the number nine jersey in Blair senior’s absence while Roddy Grant comes back into the back-row at openside with Scott Newlands shifting across to the base of the scrum.
Up front, Andrew Kelly reclaims the hooker slot with Scotland internationalist Ross Ford named amongst the replacements after a physically demanding Autumn Test series.
Fresh from scoring a try for Scotland A against Tonga, Mark Robertson reclaims the number 14 jersey while lock Scott MacLeod is selected to face his former club.
Edinburgh 15 Chris Paterson (captain) 14 Mark Robertson 13 Ben Cairns 12 Nick De Luca 11 Tim Visser 10 David Blair 9 Greig Laidlaw; 1 Allan Jacobsen 2 Andrew Kelly 3 Geoff Cross 4 Steve Turnbull 5 Scott MacLeod 6 Alan MacDonald 7 Roddy Grant 8 Scott Newlands
Substitutes: Ross Ford, Kyle Traynor, Craig Hamilton, David Callam, Ross Samson, John Houston, Jim Thompson
