Editing Utility player (section)

== Rugby union ==
Utility player is a term used mostly in New Zealand. In rugby union, it comes in a form of utility back. It is mostly a back who can cover at least two positions. Notable examples in [[Rugby union in New Zealand|New Zealand]] include [[Daniel Bowden]], [[Luke McAlister]] and [[Cory Jane]], but [[Rugby union in Australia|Australia]] also has many utility backs like [[Adam Ashley-Cooper]], [[Kurtley Beale]], [[Matt Giteau]] and [[James O'Connor (rugby union)|James O'Connor]]. South African examples are [[François Steyn]] and [[Johan Goosen]].  Example of [[Rugby union in England|English]] utility backs include [[Austin Healey]], who played for England as a scrum-half, fly-half, wing and full back, and [[Mike Catt]], who was capped as a fly-half, centre and full back. [[Rugby union in France|French]] [[Thomas Ramos (rugby union)|Thomas Ramos]], [[Jérémy Sinzelle]] and [[Damien Traille]] are known for their versatility too.

Despite that, there are forwards who are capable of covering multiple positions. Many players in the back row of the scrum ([[Flanker (rugby union)|flanker]]s and [[Number eight (rugby union)|number eight]]s) will frequently switch between the two positions, like [[Grégory Alldritt]], [[David Pocock]] or [[Kieran Read]]. Notable players in English rugby have made the transition between back row to the back line as they possess transferable skills and are usually the quicker and more mobile of the pack, more often a player may also be capable of playing [[Lock (rugby union)|lock]] as well as a [[Rugby union positions#Back row|back row]] position, with several modern examples being [[Sébastien Chabal]], [[Maro Itoje]], [[Courtney Lawes]], [[Steven Luatua]] and [[Cameron Woki]], all with international caps in both rows of the scrum. However, this description never applies to props who can play both ends of the front row (i.e. Numbers 1 & 3), unless the player has the ability to cover as a [[Hooker (rugby union)|hooker]] (e.g. [[John Afoa]], a prop who could cover as a hooker, or [[John Smit]], primarily a hooker but also capped internationally at both prop positions).