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This marks a interesting feature of England's November clean sweep that no new players made their first cap throughout the recent campaign, something not seen in 25 years. Yet, Max Ojomoh's display against Argentina while securing his second appearance felt like the breakthrough of a major talent.

Standout Display in Hard-Fought Win

He proved to be the star turn in what was the team's least convincing performance of the November series. He scored the opening touchdown before setting up the remaining two. His assist for his teammate via a delightful cross-field kick was the champagne moment of the opening period. Similarly, his popped pass to Henry Slade for England's third try was just as eye-catching, concluding a fine debut performance at Twickenham for the young player.

He has the kind of triple threat that all coaches 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 his club this season.

Rapid Rise and Future Opportunities

It is just eight days since Steve Borthwick might have felt he had finally unearthed his midfield duo for the long term. But, the highest praise that can be given to Ojomoh is that the coach may have to reconsider. Ojomoh was first called up to an England squad four years ago, but had to bide his time until the last game of the summer tour to earn his first cap. Injuries to teammates created the opportunity for Ojomoh to begin here, and he surely will be in contention for a further appearance when England regroup to start their championship quest in the coming months.

• Multiple Abilities: Can play fly-half and midfield.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and assisted two.
• Timely Impact: Stepped up when others were injured.

Team Background and Wider Implications

How would England have fared against Argentina without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they had some fortune and maybe it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. England showed an natural decline in intensity following a major win over New Zealand. Maybe Borthwick ought to have made more changes.

A balanced view is needed, though. One might be inclined to lambast the side for their failure to bring much urgency into this contest, or for almost throwing away a fixture they were controlling. However, this result completes a perfect record of November matches for the first time since recent years. 2025 concludes with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a loss. The team is halfway through the four-year tournament plan and things look much more positive for the coach than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Long-Term Strategy

The manager gives the impression that, two years out from the World Cup, he understands the vast majority of the team he will bring to the host nation. Naturally, there will be the surprise inclusion. But there are not many current members of the roster who are not in contention for the 2027 tournament.

That represents an benefit because it posed an issue for his predecessor, who struggled when it was clear that certain players were not going to play in his strategy. Borthwick seems to have grasped the nettle earlier, preventing the torrid start that affected the squad in the past.

Depth charts sound like they are for sailors of yesteryear, but coaches swear by them and Borthwick can be satisfied with his. On another day, the team might be nursing their wounds after a gut-wrenching narrow loss. The fact they avoided that is largely due to Ojomoh, fortune, and the strength of the substitutes. While Borthwick plots a course to the Six Nations, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can overlook the lack of quality of this performance.