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It is a curious feature of England's autumn clean sweep that there were no debutants made their international debut throughout the recent campaign, something not seen in a quarter of a century. Yet, Max Ojomoh's showing against the Argentine side while securing his second appearance felt like the breakthrough of a future star.

Star Performance in Tight Win

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was the team's least convincing outing of the November series. He finished off the first try before setting up the remaining two. His assist for his teammate via a exquisite long pass was the highlight play of the opening period. Similarly, his quick offload to Henry Slade for the team's final score was just as eye-catching, capping off a fine first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

He has the sort of triple threat that all coaches would want from their inside-centre. 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 Upcoming Prospects

Only eight days since the head coach might have felt he had discovered his midfield duo for the long term. But, the best compliment that can be given to Ojomoh is that the coach might need to reconsider. Ojomoh was initially selected to an national team four years ago, but had to bide his time until the last game of the overseas trip to earn his first cap. Injuries to other players created the opportunity for Ojomoh to begin here, and he surely will be in consideration for a third cap when England reconvene to start their Six Nations campaign in the new year.

• Versatile Skillset: Excels at fly-half and centre.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Important Performance: Delivered when others were unavailable.

Team Context and Wider Implications

Where might England have been against Argentina without him? Certainly they had some fortune and maybe it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. England experienced an natural decline in energy following a major win over the All Blacks. Maybe the coach should have made more changes.

A balanced view is needed, however. One might be inclined to lambast England for their inability to bring much intensity into this match, or for nearly losing a fixture they were controlling. However, this outcome marks a clean sweep of four autumn fixtures for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 concludes with 11 straight wins after beginning with a defeat. The team is midway in the World Cup cycle and things look much more positive for the coach than they did previously.

Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he understands the vast majority of the team he will take to Australia. Of course, there will be the surprise inclusion. Yet there are very few existing players of the roster who are not on track for the 2027 tournament.

This is 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 strategy. Borthwick seems to have taken action earlier, preventing the torrid beginning that affected the team in the past.

Depth charts sound like they are for seafarers of the past, but coaches rely on them and the coach can be satisfied with his. Under different circumstances, England might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching late defeat. That they were not owes plenty to Ojomoh, luck, and the strength of England's substitutes. While the coach plans the route to the Six Nations, he has wind in England's sails after 11 wins in a row, and therefore we can overlook the lack of quality of the recent display.