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It is a curious aspect of the English team's autumn clean sweep 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 the Argentine side while earning his second appearance felt like the arrival of a future star.

Standout Display in Tight Victory

He proved to be the star turn in what was the team's most challenging outing of the November series. He finished off the first try before setting up the remaining two. The setup for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a delightful long pass was the champagne moment of the first half. Likewise, his popped pass to the center for the team's final score was equally eye-catching, concluding a fine debut performance at Twickenham for the young player.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that every manager would want from their inside-centre. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has appeared at fly-half and at both centre positions for his club this campaign.

Rapid Ascent and Upcoming 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 best compliment that can be given to Ojomoh is that the coach might need to think again. He was first called up to an England squad four years ago, but had to bide his time until the final match of the overseas trip to earn his first cap. Fitness issues to other players created the opportunity for him to begin here, and he surely will be in consideration for a further appearance when the squad regroup to begin their Six Nations quest in the new year.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play fly-half and midfield.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Timely Impact: Delivered when teammates were injured.

Team Context and Broader Significance

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

A balanced view is required, though. One might be inclined to lambast the side for their failure to inject much urgency into this contest, or for nearly losing a fixture they were dominating. But, this result marks a clean sweep of November matches for the initial occasion since recent years. 2025 ends with eleven consecutive victories after starting with a defeat. The team is midway in the four-year tournament plan and things look considerably rosier for the coach than they did at this stage.

Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the global tournament, he knows the core group of the squad he will take to Australia. Naturally, there will be the odd bolter. Yet there are very few current members of the roster who are not in contention for the 2027 tournament.

This is an advantage because it was a problem for his predecessor, who struggled when it was clear that certain players were not going to feature in his plans. Borthwick seems to have taken action earlier, avoiding the difficult start that plagued the squad in the previous cycle.

Player rankings sound like they are for sailors of the past, but managers rely on them and Borthwick can be satisfied with his. Under different circumstances, England might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching narrow loss. The fact they avoided that owes plenty to Ojomoh, luck, and the strength of England's bench. While Borthwick plans the route to the championship, he has wind in England's sails after an unbeaten run, and as a result we can forgive the lack of quality of the recent display.