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It is a interesting aspect of England's November clean sweep that no new players made their first cap throughout the recent campaign, a scenario not seen in a quarter of a century. Yet, the performance of Max Ojomoh showing against Argentina while earning his second appearance felt like the arrival of a future star.

Standout Display in Hard-Fought Victory

Ojomoh was the key player in what was the team's least convincing performance of the autumn. He finished off the opening touchdown before setting up the remaining two. The setup for his teammate via a delightful long pass was the highlight play of the first half. Likewise, his quick offload to Henry Slade for England's third try was equally impressive, concluding a fine first outing at the home stadium for the 25-year-old.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that all coaches desire from their inside-centre. He can run, kick and pass, and he has appeared at number ten and at both centre positions for Bath this campaign.

Rapid Ascent and Future Opportunities

It is just eight days since Steve Borthwick might have felt he had discovered his midfield duo for the future. However, the highest praise that can be given to the young star is that the coach might need to think again. He was first called up to an England squad previously, but had to bide his time until the final match of the summer tour to earn his first cap. Fitness issues to teammates created the opportunity for him to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a further appearance when the squad regroup to start their Six Nations campaign in the new year.

• Multiple Abilities: Can play number ten and midfield.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and assisted two.
• Timely Impact: Delivered when others were injured.

Team Background and Broader Significance

Where might England have fared against Argentina without Ojomoh? Certainly they had some fortune and maybe it is not surprising that he was their best player. England showed an inevitable drop-off in intensity following a major win over New Zealand. Maybe Borthwick should have made more changes.

A balanced view is required, though. One might be inclined to criticize the side for their failure to inject much intensity into this match, or for almost throwing away a fixture they were controlling. But, this outcome marks a perfect record of November matches for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 ends with 11 straight wins after starting with a defeat. We are midway in the World Cup cycle and things look much more positive for Borthwick than they did at this stage.

Player Pool and Future Planning

Borthwick appears that, two years out from the World Cup, he knows the vast majority 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 in contention for the upcoming event.

That represents an advantage because it was a problem for his preceding coach, who struggled when it became apparent that certain players were not going to play in his plans. Borthwick seems to have grasped the nettle sooner, preventing the torrid beginning that affected the squad in the previous cycle.

Player rankings sound like they belong to sailors of yesteryear, but coaches swear by them and Borthwick can be happy with his. On another day, the team might be nursing their wounds after a heartbreaking late defeat. The fact they avoided that is largely due to the young star, fortune, and the quality of England's bench. As the coach plots a course to the championship, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can forgive the paucity of this performance.