🔗 Share this article

It is a interesting aspect of England's November clean sweep that no new players made their first cap during the recent campaign, a scenario not seen in 25 years. Yet, Max Ojomoh's display against the Argentine side while earning his second appearance seemed to be the arrival of a major talent.

Star Performance in Hard-Fought Win

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was England's least convincing outing of the November series. He scored the first try before creating the remaining two. His assist for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a exquisite cross-field kick was the highlight play of the first half. Similarly, his popped pass to the center for England's third try was equally impressive, capping off a excellent first outing at Twickenham for the young player.

He has the kind of triple threat that every manager would want from their midfield player. He can run, kick and pass, and he has appeared at fly-half and at both centre positions for his club this campaign.

Rapid Rise and Future Opportunities

It is just eight days since Steve Borthwick could have believed he had finally unearthed his centre partnership for the long term. But, the highest praise that can be given to the young star is that Borthwick may have to reconsider. He was initially selected to an national team previously, but had to wait until the final match of the summer tour to make his debut. Fitness issues to other players created the opportunity for Ojomoh to begin here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a further appearance when the squad reconvene to start their Six Nations quest in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play fly-half and centre.
• Crucial Input: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Timely Impact: Stepped up when teammates were unavailable.

Squad Background and Wider Implications

Where might the team have been against Argentina without him? Undoubtedly they rode their luck and perhaps it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. The team showed an natural decline in energy following a major win over New Zealand. Maybe the coach ought to have made more changes.

Some perspective is needed, though. It is tempting to criticize England for their failure to bring much urgency into this match, or for nearly losing a fixture they were controlling. However, this result marks a perfect record of four autumn fixtures for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 ends with 11 straight wins after starting with a defeat. We are midway in the four-year tournament plan 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, two years out from the global tournament, he knows the core group of the team he will take to Australia. Of course, there will be the odd bolter. Yet 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 preceding coach, who struggled when it was clear that veterans were not going to feature in his plans. He seems to have grasped the nettle sooner, avoiding the difficult start that affected the team in the previous cycle.

Depth charts sound like they are for sailors of the past, but managers rely on them and Borthwick can be happy with his. On another day, the team might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching late defeat. That they were not is largely due to Ojomoh, fortune, and the quality of the bench. As the coach plans the route to the championship, he has wind in England's sails after 11 wins in a row, and therefore we can overlook the paucity of the recent display.