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It is a curious aspect of England's autumn clean sweep that no new players earned their first cap throughout the recent campaign, something not seen in 25 years. However, Max Ojomoh's display against Argentina while securing his second appearance felt like the breakthrough of a future star.

Star Display in Tight Victory

Ojomoh was the key player in what was England's most challenging outing of the autumn. He scored the first try before creating the remaining two. His assist for his teammate via a exquisite cross-field kick was the highlight play of the first half. Similarly, his quick offload to the center for England's third try was equally eye-catching, concluding a fine first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

He has the sort of triple threat that every manager 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 Prospects

Only a little over a week since the head coach might have felt he had finally unearthed his midfield duo for the long term. But, the best compliment that can be given to the young star is that the coach might need to reconsider. Ojomoh was first called up to an England squad previously, but had to wait until the final match of the summer tour to make his debut. Fitness issues to teammates paved the way for him to begin here, and he undoubtedly will be in consideration for a third cap when the squad reconvene to start their championship campaign in the coming months.

• Multiple Abilities: Excels at number ten and midfield.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Important Performance: Delivered when teammates were unavailable.

Team Background and Wider Implications

Where might the team have been against Argentina without him? Undoubtedly they rode their luck and maybe it is no coincidence that he was their best player. England showed an natural decline in energy following a major win over the All Blacks. Perhaps the coach should have made more changes.

A balanced view is required, however. It is tempting to lambast England for their inability to inject much intensity into this match, or for almost throwing away a fixture they were dominating. But, this outcome completes a clean sweep of November matches for the initial occasion since recent years. 2025 concludes with 11 straight wins after starting with a loss. The team is midway in the four-year tournament plan and things look much more positive for the coach than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Future Planning

The manager appears that, two years out from the global tournament, he understands the vast majority of the team he will bring to Australia. Of course, there will be the odd bolter. But there are not many existing players of the squad who are not in contention for the upcoming event.

This is an advantage because it was a problem for his predecessor, who struggled when it became apparent that certain players were not going to feature in his plans. Borthwick seems to have grasped the nettle sooner, avoiding the difficult beginning that affected the team in the previous cycle.

Depth charts seem like they belong to seafarers of yesteryear, but managers rely on them and the coach can be happy with his. Under different circumstances, the team might be nursing their wounds after a gut-wrenching late defeat. That they were not is largely due to Ojomoh, luck, and the quality of England's substitutes. While the coach plans the route 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.