🔗 Share this article

This marks a curious feature of the English team's autumn clean sweep that there were no debutants earned their international debut throughout the recent campaign, a scenario not seen in 25 years. However, the performance of Max Ojomoh display against Argentina while earning his second cap seemed to be the breakthrough of a future star.

Star Display in Hard-Fought Win

He proved to be the key player in what was the team's most challenging outing of the November series. He scored the opening touchdown before setting up the other two. His assist for his teammate via a exquisite cross-field kick was the champagne moment of the first half. Likewise, his quick offload to Henry Slade for England's third try was equally impressive, concluding a excellent debut performance at the home stadium for the young player.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that all coaches would want from their midfield player. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has appeared at number ten and at both centre positions for Bath this campaign.

Rapid Ascent and Future Opportunities

It is just eight days since Steve Borthwick might have felt he had finally unearthed his centre partnership for the future. But, the best compliment that can be given to Ojomoh is that the coach may have to reconsider. Ojomoh was first called up to an England squad previously, but had to bide his time until the last game of the summer tour to make his debut. Injuries to other players paved the way for him to start here, and he surely will be in consideration for a further appearance when England regroup to begin their Six Nations campaign in the new year.

• Multiple Abilities: Can play number ten and centre.
• Crucial Input: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Timely Impact: Delivered when others were injured.

Squad Background and Broader Implications

Where might the team have been against their opponents without him? Certainly they had some fortune and perhaps it is not surprising that he was their best player. England showed an natural decline in energy following a significant victory over the All Blacks. Maybe Borthwick should have freshened things up.

A balanced view is needed, though. One might be inclined to lambast England for their inability to bring much urgency into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were controlling. However, this result marks a clean sweep of November matches for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 concludes with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a loss. The team is midway in the four-year tournament plan and things look much more positive for Borthwick than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Future Planning

Borthwick appears that, two years out from the World Cup, he knows the core group of the squad he will take to Australia. Of course, there will be the surprise inclusion. Yet there are very few current members of the squad who are not in contention for the upcoming event.

This is an advantage because it was a problem for his predecessor, who struggled when it was clear that certain players were not going to play in his strategy. He seems to have grasped the nettle earlier, avoiding the difficult start that plagued the team in the previous cycle.

Depth charts seem like they belong to seafarers of yesteryear, but managers rely on them and the coach can be happy with his. On another day, the team might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching narrow loss. The fact they avoided that owes plenty to Ojomoh, luck, and the quality of England's substitutes. While Borthwick plans the route to the championship, he has positive momentum after an unbeaten run, and as a result we can overlook the paucity of the recent display.