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It is a curious aspect of the English team's November perfect record that no new players earned their international debut during the recent campaign, something not seen in a quarter of a century. However, Max Ojomoh's display against Argentina while earning his second cap seemed to be the arrival of a major talent.

Star Performance in Tight Victory

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was the team's least convincing outing of the November series. He finished off the opening touchdown before setting up the remaining two. His assist for his teammate via a exquisite long pass was the highlight play of the opening period. Similarly, his popped pass to Henry Slade for the team's third try was equally eye-catching, capping off a excellent first outing at Twickenham for the young player.

He has the sort of triple threat that every manager would want from their midfield player. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has featured at fly-half and at multiple midfield roles for Bath this season.

Quick Rise and Future Prospects

It is just eight days since the head coach could have believed he had discovered his centre partnership for the long term. However, the best compliment that can be paid to Ojomoh is that Borthwick might need to reconsider. Ojomoh was initially selected to an national team previously, but had to wait until the last game of the summer tour to earn his first cap. Injuries to other players created the opportunity for Ojomoh to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a third cap when England regroup to begin their championship campaign in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play fly-half and centre.
• Crucial Input: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Important Performance: Delivered when others were unavailable.

Team Context and Broader Implications

Where might the team have been against their opponents without him? Certainly they rode their luck and maybe it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. The team showed an inevitable drop-off in energy following a major win over New Zealand. Perhaps the coach ought to have freshened things up.

A balanced view is required, though. One might be inclined to criticize England for their inability to inject much intensity into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were dominating. However, this result completes a clean sweep of four autumn fixtures for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 concludes with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a loss. We are midway in the World Cup cycle and things look much more positive for the coach than they did at this stage.

Squad Depth and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the global tournament, he knows the vast majority of the squad he will bring to Australia. Of course, there will be the odd bolter. Yet there are not many existing players of the roster who are not on track for the 2027 tournament.

That represents an benefit because it posed an issue for his predecessor, who found it difficult when it was clear that veterans were not going to play in his plans. Borthwick seems to have grasped the nettle earlier, avoiding the torrid beginning that affected the team in the past.

Depth charts seem like they belong to sailors of the past, but coaches rely on them and the coach can be happy with his. Under different circumstances, the team might be nursing their wounds after a gut-wrenching late defeat. That they were not owes plenty to Ojomoh, luck, and the quality of the substitutes. As the coach plans the route to the Six Nations, he has wind in England's sails after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can forgive the paucity of the recent display.