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It is a interesting feature of the English team's November perfect record that there were no debutants made their international debut throughout the recent campaign, something not seen in 25 years. Yet, Max Ojomoh's showing against the Argentine side while earning his second cap felt like the breakthrough of a major talent.

Star Display in Tight Win

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was the team's least convincing performance of the November series. He finished off the first try before setting up the remaining two. His assist for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a exquisite long pass was the champagne moment of the opening period. Likewise, his popped pass to Henry Slade for England's final score was just as eye-catching, capping off a fine debut performance at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

He has the sort of triple threat that all coaches desire from their inside-centre. He can run, kick and pass, and he has appeared at fly-half and at multiple midfield roles for his club this season.

Rapid Rise and Future Opportunities

It is just eight days since Steve Borthwick might have felt he had finally unearthed his midfield duo for the long term. However, the best compliment that can be paid to the young star is that Borthwick may have to reconsider. He was first called up to an national team four years ago, but had to wait until the last game of the overseas trip to make his debut. Fitness issues to teammates created the opportunity for him to begin here, and he surely will be in consideration for a further appearance when the squad reconvene to start their Six Nations quest in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Excels at number ten and centre.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when teammates were injured.

Squad Context and Wider Implications

Where might the team have fared against Argentina without him? Certainly they had some fortune and maybe it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. England showed an natural decline in intensity following a significant victory over the All Blacks. Perhaps the coach should have made more changes.

A balanced view is needed, though. It is tempting to lambast the side for their failure to bring much urgency into this match, or for nearly losing a game they were controlling. However, this outcome completes a perfect record of November matches for the first time since 2016. 2025 concludes with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a defeat. The team is halfway through the World Cup cycle and things look much more positive for Borthwick than they did previously.

Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy

The manager gives the impression that, two years out from the global tournament, he knows the vast majority of the squad he will bring to the host nation. Of course, there will be the odd bolter. But there are very few current members of the roster who are not on track for the 2027 tournament.

That represents an advantage because it posed an issue for his predecessor, who struggled when it became apparent that certain players were not going to feature in his strategy. He seems to have taken action earlier, avoiding the difficult start that plagued the squad in the past.

Depth charts seem like they are for sailors of yesteryear, but managers swear by them and the coach can be happy with his. On another day, England might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching narrow loss. The fact they avoided that is largely due to Ojomoh, fortune, and the strength of the substitutes. As Borthwick plans the route to the championship, he has wind in England's sails after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can overlook the paucity of this performance.