This marks a curious aspect of England's November clean sweep that no new players made their international debut during the recent campaign, something not seen in a quarter of a century. However, the performance of Max Ojomoh display against the Argentine side while securing his second appearance seemed to be the breakthrough of a major talent.
He proved to be the star turn in what was the team's most challenging performance of the November series. He finished off the opening touchdown before setting up the remaining two. His assist for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a delightful cross-field kick was the highlight play of the opening period. Likewise, his popped pass to Henry Slade for the team's final score was just as impressive, concluding a excellent first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.
Ojomoh possesses the kind of versatile skillset that every manager would want from their inside-centre. He can run, kick and pass, and he has appeared at fly-half and at multiple midfield roles for Bath this campaign.
Only a little over a week since Steve Borthwick might have felt he had discovered his midfield duo for the future. But, the best compliment that can be given to the young star is that the coach might need to reconsider. Ojomoh was initially selected to an England squad four years ago, but had to bide his time until the last game of the summer tour to earn his first cap. Fitness issues to teammates paved the way for Ojomoh to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a further appearance when England reconvene to start their championship quest in the new year.
How would the team have been against Argentina without Ojomoh? Certainly they rode their luck and maybe it is not surprising that he was their best player. The team 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 required, though. It is tempting to criticize England for their inability to inject much intensity into this contest, or for nearly losing a game they were controlling. But, this result marks a perfect record of four autumn fixtures for the initial occasion since recent years. 2025 concludes with eleven consecutive victories after starting with a loss. The team is halfway through the World Cup cycle and the situation look considerably rosier for the coach than they did previously.
The manager appears that, two years out 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. But there are very few current members of the roster 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 was clear that certain players were not going to feature in his strategy. Borthwick seems to have grasped the nettle sooner, preventing the difficult start that plagued the team in the past.
Depth charts seem like they are for sailors of yesteryear, but managers swear by them and Borthwick can be happy with his. On another day, England might be nursing their wounds after a gut-wrenching late defeat. The fact they avoided that is largely due to the young star, fortune, and the quality of the substitutes. As Borthwick plans the route to the championship, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and therefore we can forgive the paucity of this performance.
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