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It is a interesting feature of England's November perfect record that no new players made their first cap during the series of matches, something not seen in 25 years. However, the performance of Max Ojomoh showing against Argentina while earning his second appearance seemed to be the breakthrough of a future star.

Star Performance in Tight Victory

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was England's least convincing outing of the autumn. He scored the opening touchdown before creating the remaining two. His assist for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a exquisite long pass was the champagne moment of the opening period. Similarly, his quick offload to the center for England's final score was just as impressive, capping off a fine debut performance at Twickenham for the young player.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that all coaches would want from their inside-centre. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has featured at number ten and at both centre positions for Bath this season.

Quick Ascent and Future Prospects

It is just eight days since the head coach might have felt he had discovered his centre partnership for the long term. However, the best compliment that can be given to Ojomoh is that the coach may have to reconsider. 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 make his debut. Injuries to other players created the opportunity for him to start here, and he surely will be in contention for a further appearance when England reconvene to begin their championship quest in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play number ten and centre.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and assisted two.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when teammates were injured.

Squad Context and Wider Implications

How would England have fared against their opponents without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they had some fortune and perhaps it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. The team showed an natural decline in intensity following a significant victory over the All Blacks. Maybe the coach ought to have freshened things up.

Some perspective is needed, though. One might be inclined to criticize the side for their failure to bring much urgency into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were dominating. However, this result completes a clean sweep of four autumn fixtures for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 concludes with 11 straight wins after starting with a loss. The team is halfway through the four-year tournament plan and things look much more positive for the coach than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Future Planning

Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the global tournament, he knows the vast majority of the squad he will bring to Australia. Naturally, there will be the odd bolter. But there are very few existing players of the squad who are not on track for the upcoming event.

This is an benefit because it was a problem for his predecessor, who struggled when it became apparent that certain players were not going to play in his plans. He seems to have grasped the nettle earlier, preventing the difficult start that affected the team in the previous cycle.

Depth charts sound like they belong to sailors of yesteryear, but coaches swear by them and Borthwick can be satisfied with his. Under different circumstances, the team might be nursing their wounds after a heartbreaking narrow loss. That they were not owes plenty to the young star, luck, and the quality of the substitutes. While Borthwick plans the route to the championship, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can overlook the paucity of this performance.