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It is a interesting feature of England's autumn perfect record that there were no debutants made their international debut during the recent campaign, something not seen in a quarter of a century. However, Max Ojomoh's display against the Argentine side while earning his second cap felt like the breakthrough of a major talent.

Standout Performance in Tight Victory

Ojomoh was the key player in what was the team's most challenging performance of the autumn. He finished off the first try before setting up the other two. The setup for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a delightful cross-field kick was the champagne moment of the first half. Likewise, his popped pass to Henry Slade for England's third try was equally eye-catching, capping off a fine debut performance at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of versatile skillset that every manager desire from their inside-centre. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has featured at fly-half and at multiple midfield roles for his club this season.

Rapid Ascent and Future Opportunities

Only eight days since Steve Borthwick could have believed he had discovered his midfield duo for the long term. But, the highest praise that can be given to Ojomoh is that Borthwick might need to reconsider. He was initially selected to an national team previously, but had to wait until the last game of the overseas trip to earn his first cap. Fitness issues to other players created the opportunity for him to begin here, and he surely will be in consideration for a further appearance when England regroup to begin their championship quest in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play number ten and centre.
• Crucial Input: Notched a touchdown and assisted two.
• Timely Impact: Stepped up when others were injured.

Team Context and Broader Significance

How would the team have fared against Argentina without him? Certainly they had some fortune and perhaps it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. England experienced an inevitable drop-off in intensity following a major win over the All Blacks. Perhaps the coach should have freshened things up.

A balanced view is required, however. 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 dominating. But, this outcome completes a clean sweep of November matches for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 ends with 11 straight wins after beginning with a defeat. We are halfway through the World Cup cycle and things look considerably rosier for the coach than they did at this stage.

Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the global tournament, he understands the core group of the team he will bring to Australia. Of course, there will be the surprise inclusion. But there are not many existing players of the roster who are not in contention for the upcoming event.

This is an advantage because it posed an issue for his predecessor, who struggled when it was clear that certain players were not going to feature in his plans. He seems to have taken action sooner, preventing the difficult start that plagued the squad in the previous cycle.

Depth charts sound like they are for seafarers of the past, but coaches 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 strength of England's bench. As the coach plans the route to the championship, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can overlook the lack of quality of the recent display.