Which angle to attack on the wing.
Picking lines in midfield.
Knowing when a break will happen and when to support.
Positioning to receive kicks (working in tandem with the fullback).
Kick-chase. Both the kicking part, and the chasing part.
Defensive positioning.
Knowing when to come out of the line to stop an overlap.
Tracking across the field to cover for an absent fullback or scrum-half.
Supporting your 13 in a ruck if they decide to make a run rather than pass.
Timing your run to come off a backline move, or to receive a pass from the 13/15.
Tackling positioning.
Reading attacking plays, both on your team and theirs. (eg, knowing when your/their fly-half will chip the ball through, and respond accordingly)
Spatial awareness such as knowing how to avoid being dragged into touch, and how to use the touchline as a defender.
etc.
Just being a physical beast means very little in rugby. You have to have the brain to use your body to good effect.
For example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5ksQExJRpU#t=1m54s
Pause when you go on the video (at 1m 54s). Burns has the ball in his hands and he passes to Simpson-Daniel. Simpson-Daniel spots two front rowers standing together in the defensive line. He instantly knows this is where he is going to attack, despite receiving the pass too far past the gap. He runs as if he is going to attack the outside shoulder of the prop and allows the defensive line to drift, allowing for the gap to open up in front of him and he changes pace to go through it. Looking at the starting position, he has absolutely no right to get through that gap, and he manages it with a classy, intelligent piece of play. Game-reading like this is what separates the best wingers from the mid-tier ones.
And then North's run on the piece of footage after the Stooke try. North is a big guy. 6'4, ~17st. And yet it's his footwork that gets him past the defence along with his bulk. I think Banahan would have tried going through all of those players. Not necessarily a bad option to take at times, but I doubt the try had been scored if Banahan as opposed to North had been running it back.
Quite simply, I don't think in the past that Banahan was intelligent enough at the higher level. He has more than enough success with his brawn at club level, but it's much less likely to work at the higher level
unless you know how to use it. And Banahan seemingly never did. Unlike others, I wouldn't want to strike him off from playing for England ever again because I don't like to do that with any player - perhaps he'll come into a good patch of form. But I'm not holding my breath either
