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It is a curious aspect of England's autumn clean sweep that there were no debutants made their international debut during the recent campaign, a scenario not seen in a quarter of a century. Yet, Max Ojomoh's showing against the Argentine side while earning his second appearance felt like the breakthrough of a major talent.

Star Performance in Tight Victory

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was England's least convincing outing of the November series. He finished off the opening touchdown before setting up the remaining two. His assist for his teammate via a exquisite long pass was the highlight play of the opening period. Likewise, his popped pass to Henry Slade for the team's third try was equally impressive, capping off a fine first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that every manager would want from their inside-centre. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has featured at number ten and at both centre positions for his club this season.

Rapid Ascent and Upcoming Opportunities

It is just a little over a week since the head coach could have believed he had discovered his midfield duo for the long term. However, the best compliment that can be paid to Ojomoh is that Borthwick might need to reconsider. He was first called up to an national team four years ago, but had to wait until the final match of the summer tour to earn his first cap. Fitness issues to other players paved the way for him to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a further appearance when the squad regroup to start their Six Nations quest in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Excels at number ten and centre.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and assisted two.
• Important Performance: Delivered when others were injured.

Team Context and Broader Significance

How would England have been against their opponents without Ojomoh? Certainly they rode their luck and perhaps it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. England showed an natural decline in energy following a significant victory over New Zealand. Perhaps Borthwick should have made more changes.

A balanced view is required, however. It is tempting to lambast England for their inability to bring much urgency into this contest, or for nearly losing a game they were controlling. But, this outcome completes a clean sweep of four autumn fixtures for the first time since 2016. 2025 concludes with 11 straight wins after beginning with a loss. The team is halfway through the four-year tournament plan and things look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, two years out from the World Cup, he knows the core group of the team he will take to Australia. Of course, there will be the odd bolter. But there are very few current members of the squad who are not in contention for the 2027 tournament.

This is an advantage because it posed an issue for his preceding coach, who found it difficult when it became apparent that certain players were not going to feature in his strategy. He seems to have taken action sooner, preventing the difficult start that plagued the team in the previous cycle.

Depth charts seem like they are for seafarers of yesteryear, but coaches swear by them and the coach can be happy with his. On another day, England might be nursing their wounds after a heartbreaking narrow loss. The fact they avoided that owes plenty to the young star, fortune, and the strength of the substitutes. While the coach plans the route to the Six Nations, he has positive momentum after an unbeaten run, and as a result we can forgive the lack of quality of the recent display.