🔗 Share this article

It is a interesting feature of England's November clean sweep that no new players made their first cap during the series of matches, something not seen in 25 years. Yet, Max Ojomoh's showing against Argentina while securing his second appearance felt like the breakthrough of a future star.

Star Performance in Tight Victory

He proved to be the key player in what was the team's most challenging performance of the autumn. He scored the first try before setting up the remaining two. The setup for his teammate via a delightful cross-field kick was the highlight play of the first half. Similarly, his quick offload to Henry Slade for the team's final score was equally eye-catching, capping off a fine first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that all coaches would want from their inside-centre. He can run, kick and pass, and he has appeared at number ten and at multiple midfield roles for his club this season.

Rapid Rise and Future Prospects

It is just a little over a week since the head coach could have believed he had discovered his centre partnership for the long term. However, the highest praise that can be paid to the young star is that the coach may have to reconsider. He was first called up to an England squad four years ago, but had to wait until the final match of the overseas trip to make his debut. Injuries to other players paved the way for him to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a further appearance when England regroup to begin their championship campaign in the new year.

• Multiple Abilities: Excels at number ten and centre.
• Key Contributions: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when teammates were unavailable.

Team Background and Wider Significance

Where might the team have been against their opponents without him? Undoubtedly they rode their luck and maybe it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. The team showed an natural decline in intensity following a significant victory over New Zealand. Perhaps Borthwick ought to have freshened things up.

Some perspective is required, though. It is tempting to lambast England for their inability to inject much urgency into this match, or for almost throwing away a fixture they were controlling. But, this result marks a perfect record of November matches for the initial occasion since recent years. 2025 concludes with 11 straight wins after beginning with a loss. The team is halfway through the World Cup cycle and the situation look much more positive for Borthwick than they did at this stage.

Player Pool and Future Planning

The manager gives the impression that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he understands the core group of the squad he will bring to the host nation. Naturally, there will be the surprise inclusion. Yet there are not many existing players of the squad who are not on track for the 2027 tournament.

This is an benefit because it posed an issue for his predecessor, who struggled when it became apparent that veterans were not going to feature in his strategy. He seems to have grasped the nettle sooner, preventing the torrid beginning that affected the squad in the previous cycle.

Player rankings sound like they are for seafarers of the past, but coaches swear by them and the coach can be satisfied with his. On another day, England might be dealing with a loss after a heartbreaking late defeat. The fact they avoided that owes plenty to the young star, fortune, and the quality of England's bench. While Borthwick plans the route to the Six Nations, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and therefore we can overlook the paucity of this performance.