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It is a curious feature of England's November perfect record that there were no debutants earned their first cap throughout the recent campaign, a scenario not seen in 25 years. Yet, Max Ojomoh's showing against Argentina while earning his second appearance felt like the breakthrough of a major talent.

Standout Display in Hard-Fought Victory

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was England's least convincing performance of the November series. He finished off the opening touchdown before setting up the other two. The setup for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a delightful long pass was the highlight play of the first half. Similarly, his popped pass to Henry Slade for England's final score was equally eye-catching, concluding a fine debut performance at the home stadium for the young player.

Ojomoh possesses the sort of triple threat that all coaches would want from their inside-centre. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has appeared at number ten and at both centre positions for his club this campaign.

Rapid Rise and Upcoming Opportunities

It is just a little over a week since Steve Borthwick might have felt he had discovered his centre partnership for the long term. However, the highest praise that can be given to Ojomoh is that Borthwick might need to think again. Ojomoh was first called up to an England squad four years ago, but had to wait until the last game of the overseas trip to make his debut. Fitness issues to teammates paved the way for Ojomoh to begin here, and he undoubtedly will be in consideration for a third cap when the squad regroup to start their championship quest in the coming months.

• Multiple Abilities: Can play number ten and midfield.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Important Performance: Delivered when others were injured.

Squad Context and Wider Significance

How would the team have fared against their opponents without Ojomoh? Certainly they had some fortune and perhaps it is not surprising that he was their best player. England experienced an natural decline in energy following a significant victory over the All Blacks. Perhaps Borthwick ought to have freshened things up.

Some perspective is required, though. It is tempting to criticize the side for their inability to inject much intensity into this contest, or for almost throwing away a fixture they were controlling. But, this outcome marks a perfect record of four autumn fixtures for the first time since 2016. 2025 concludes with eleven consecutive victories after starting with a defeat. The team is halfway through the World Cup cycle and the situation look much more positive for Borthwick than they did previously.

Player Pool and Future Planning

The manager appears that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he knows the core group of the squad he will bring to Australia. Of course, there will be the surprise inclusion. But there are not many existing players of the squad who are not on track for the 2027 tournament.

This is an benefit because it was a problem for his preceding coach, who found it difficult when it was clear that certain players were not going to feature in his strategy. He seems to have taken action sooner, avoiding the difficult start that affected the squad in the past.

Depth charts sound like they belong to seafarers of the past, but managers rely on them and Borthwick can be satisfied with his. On another day, the team might be nursing their wounds after a gut-wrenching late defeat. The fact they avoided that owes plenty to Ojomoh, fortune, and the quality of the bench. While the coach plots a course to the Six Nations, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can forgive the paucity of this performance.