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This marks a curious feature of England's autumn clean sweep that no new players earned their international debut during the recent campaign, a scenario not seen in a quarter of a century. However, Max Ojomoh's showing against the Argentine side while securing his second appearance felt like the arrival of a major talent.

Star Performance in Hard-Fought Win

Ojomoh was the key player in what was England's least convincing outing of the autumn. He scored the first try before creating the remaining two. The setup for his teammate via a delightful long pass was the champagne moment of the opening period. Likewise, his quick offload to Henry Slade for England's third try was just as impressive, capping off a excellent first outing at Twickenham for the young player.

He has the kind of triple threat that every manager would want from their midfield player. He can run, kick and pass, and he has appeared at number ten and at both centre positions for Bath this season.

Rapid Ascent and Upcoming Opportunities

Only eight days since Steve Borthwick could have believed he had finally unearthed his centre partnership for the long term. But, the highest praise that can be given to the young star is that Borthwick might need to reconsider. He was first called up to an national team four years ago, but had to wait until the final match of the overseas trip to earn his first cap. Injuries to teammates paved the way for Ojomoh to begin here, and he surely will be in consideration for a third cap when the squad regroup to start their championship quest in the coming months.

• Multiple Abilities: Excels at fly-half and centre.
• Key Contributions: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Timely Impact: Delivered when teammates were injured.

Squad Context and Broader Implications

How would England have been against Argentina without him? Undoubtedly they had some fortune and perhaps it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. England showed an natural decline in intensity following a significant victory over New Zealand. Maybe the coach ought to have freshened things up.

Some perspective is needed, though. It is tempting to criticize England for their inability to bring much urgency into this match, or for nearly losing a fixture they were controlling. But, this outcome marks a perfect record of four autumn fixtures for the first time since recent years. 2025 concludes with 11 straight wins after starting with a loss. We are midway in the four-year tournament plan and the situation look considerably rosier for the coach than they did at this stage.

Player Pool and Future Planning

Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the global tournament, he knows the vast majority of the team he will take to the host nation. Naturally, 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 posed an issue for his predecessor, who found it difficult when it became apparent that certain players were not going to play in his plans. Borthwick seems to have grasped the nettle sooner, avoiding the torrid start that plagued the squad in the past.

Depth charts sound like they belong to seafarers of yesteryear, but managers swear by them and Borthwick can be happy with his. Under different circumstances, the team might be dealing with a loss after a heartbreaking narrow loss. That they were not owes plenty to the young star, luck, and the strength of England's substitutes. While Borthwick plots a course to the championship, he has wind in England's sails after an unbeaten run, and as a result we can forgive the paucity of this performance.