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This marks a interesting feature of the English team's November clean sweep that there were no debutants earned their international debut during the series of matches, something not seen in a quarter of a century. However, the performance of Max Ojomoh display against Argentina while securing his second cap felt like the arrival of a future star.

Star Performance in Hard-Fought Victory

He proved to be the star turn in what was England's least convincing performance of the November series. He scored the opening touchdown before creating the other two. The setup for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a exquisite cross-field kick was the highlight play of the opening period. Likewise, his popped pass to Henry Slade for the team's third try was equally eye-catching, capping off a fine first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

Ojomoh possesses the kind 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 multiple midfield roles for his club this campaign.

Rapid Rise and Upcoming Opportunities

Only a little over a week since Steve Borthwick could have believed he had finally unearthed his centre partnership for the long term. But, the highest praise that can be paid to Ojomoh is that the coach may have to reconsider. He was first called up to an England squad four years ago, but had to bide his time until the final match of the summer tour to make his debut. Fitness issues to other players created the opportunity for him to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention 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 midfield.
• Crucial Input: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Timely Impact: Delivered when teammates were injured.

Team Context and Wider Implications

Where might the team have been against their opponents without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they had some fortune and maybe it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. The team experienced an natural decline in energy following a significant victory over New Zealand. Maybe Borthwick ought to have made more changes.

A balanced view is required, however. It is tempting to lambast the side for their failure to bring much urgency into this contest, or for nearly losing a fixture they were controlling. But, this outcome marks a clean sweep of four autumn fixtures for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 ends with 11 straight wins after beginning with a loss. We are midway in the World Cup cycle and things look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Future Planning

The manager appears that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he knows the core group of the team he will take to the host nation. Of course, there will be the odd bolter. But there are not many current members of the roster who are not in contention for the 2027 tournament.

This is an benefit because it was a problem for his predecessor, who found it difficult when it became apparent that veterans were not going to feature in his plans. Borthwick seems to have grasped the nettle sooner, preventing the torrid start that affected the team in the past.

Player rankings seem like they belong to sailors of the past, but managers rely on them and Borthwick can be happy with his. On another day, England might be nursing their wounds after a heartbreaking narrow loss. The fact they avoided that is largely due to the young star, luck, and the quality of the bench. While Borthwick plots a course to the championship, he has positive momentum after an unbeaten run, and therefore we can overlook the paucity of this performance.