🔗 Share this article

This marks a curious feature of England's November clean sweep that no new players made their international debut throughout the recent campaign, something not seen in a quarter of a century. Yet, the performance of Max Ojomoh display against the Argentine side while securing his second appearance seemed to be the arrival of a future star.

Star Display in Hard-Fought Victory

He proved to be the key player in what was England's most challenging performance of the November series. He finished off the first try before creating the other two. The setup for his teammate via a exquisite cross-field kick was the highlight play of the first half. Similarly, his popped pass to Henry Slade for England's third try was just as eye-catching, capping off a excellent debut performance at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

He has the sort of triple threat that all coaches would want from their inside-centre. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has appeared at fly-half and at both centre positions for Bath this campaign.

Rapid Ascent and Future Opportunities

It is just eight days since the head coach could have believed he had finally unearthed his midfield duo for the future. However, the highest praise that can be given to the young star is that Borthwick may have to think again. He was initially selected to an England squad previously, but had to bide his time until the last game of the summer tour to earn his first cap. Injuries to teammates created the opportunity for Ojomoh to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in consideration for a third cap when the squad reconvene to start their Six Nations campaign in the new year.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play number ten and centre.
• Crucial Input: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Timely Impact: Stepped up when teammates were unavailable.

Team Background and Wider Significance

Where might England have fared against Argentina without him? Certainly they rode their luck and perhaps it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. The team showed an natural decline in energy following a major win over the All Blacks. Perhaps Borthwick ought to have made more changes.

A balanced view is needed, though. One might be inclined to lambast England for their failure to inject much intensity into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were controlling. However, this result marks a perfect record of November matches for the first time since 2016. 2025 ends with 11 straight wins after beginning with a loss. We are halfway through the four-year tournament plan and things look much more positive for the coach than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he understands the core group of the team he will bring to the host nation. Naturally, there will be the surprise inclusion. Yet there are very few existing players of the roster who are not in contention for the upcoming event.

That represents an advantage because it was a problem for his predecessor, who found it difficult when it was clear that certain players were not going to play in his strategy. He seems to have taken action earlier, preventing the difficult start that affected the team in the past.

Depth charts 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 gut-wrenching late defeat. That they were not is largely due to the young star, fortune, and the strength of England's substitutes. As Borthwick plots a course to the championship, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and therefore we can forgive the lack of quality of the recent display.