Trimble keen to spread his wings

ANDREW TRIMBLE would not be the first athlete to have figured out that versatility is both a virtue and a vice. On the one hand, your adaptability to a variety of roles makes you a must-have selection for coaches. On the other, it can mean you become a regular benchwarmer, always on call to fill whatever breach arises without getting a berth in the starting line-up.

The forward slash between “centre” and “wing” that describes Trimble’s position on the Ireland team’s website cuts like a knife but not so deep that the 26-year-old Ulsterman would forego a place in Declan Kidney’s World Cup squad 10 months from now.

“You don’t want to be seen as (a utility back), but you want to be an option, for the bench as well,” Trimble said this week ahead of his 30th cap. “But then again, utility backs tend to play on the bench, which would be fairly disappointing.