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It is a curious aspect of England's autumn clean sweep that no new players made their international debut during the series of matches, something not seen in a quarter of a century. Yet, the performance of Max Ojomoh showing against Argentina while securing his second cap felt like the breakthrough of a future star.

Star Display in Hard-Fought Victory

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was England's least convincing performance of the autumn. He scored the opening touchdown before creating the remaining two. The setup for his teammate via a delightful long pass was the highlight play of the first half. Likewise, his popped pass to the center for the team's third try was just as impressive, capping off a excellent debut performance at Twickenham for the young player.

He has 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 fly-half and at multiple midfield roles for his club this campaign.

Quick Rise and Future Opportunities

It is just a little over a week since Steve Borthwick could have believed he had finally unearthed his midfield duo for the long term. But, the highest praise that can be given to Ojomoh is that Borthwick might need to think again. He was first called up to an England squad previously, but had to wait until the final match of the summer tour to earn his first cap. Fitness issues 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 Six Nations quest in the new year.

• Multiple Abilities: Excels at number ten and centre.
• Crucial Input: Notched a touchdown and assisted two.
• Timely Impact: Stepped up when teammates were injured.

Team Background and Broader Implications

How would the team have been against their opponents without Ojomoh? Certainly they had some fortune and maybe it is no coincidence that he was their best player. England showed an natural decline in energy following a significant victory over the All Blacks. Perhaps the coach should have made more changes.

A balanced view is required, though. It is tempting to lambast the side for their inability to bring much intensity into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were dominating. However, this outcome marks a perfect record of four autumn fixtures for the first time since 2016. 2025 ends with 11 straight wins after starting with a defeat. The team is halfway through the four-year tournament plan and the situation look considerably rosier for the coach than they did previously.

Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick appears that, two years out from the World Cup, he knows the core group of the squad he will bring to the host nation. 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 upcoming event.

That represents an advantage because it posed an issue for his predecessor, who found it difficult when it became apparent that veterans were not going to play in his plans. He seems to have grasped the nettle sooner, avoiding the difficult start that plagued the squad in the previous cycle.

Depth charts seem like they belong to seafarers of yesteryear, but managers 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 narrow loss. The fact they avoided that is largely due to Ojomoh, luck, and the strength of England's bench. As the coach plots a course to the Six Nations, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and therefore we can overlook the lack of quality of the recent display.