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It is a interesting feature of England's November clean sweep that there were no debutants earned their first cap throughout the recent campaign, something not seen in 25 years. Yet, Max Ojomoh's display against the Argentine side while earning his second appearance felt like the breakthrough of a future star.

Standout Performance in Hard-Fought Victory

He proved to be the key player in what was the team's least convincing performance of the November series. He scored the first try before creating the remaining two. His assist for his teammate via a exquisite long pass was the champagne moment of the first half. Likewise, his popped pass to Henry Slade for England's final score was equally eye-catching, concluding a fine first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

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 fly-half and at both centre positions for Bath this season.

Quick Rise and Upcoming Opportunities

It is just a little over a week since the head coach might have felt he had finally unearthed his midfield duo for the future. But, the best compliment that can be paid to Ojomoh is that Borthwick may have to reconsider. Ojomoh was initially selected to an national team four years ago, but had to wait until the last game of the summer tour to make his debut. Injuries to other players created the opportunity for him to start here, and he surely will be in consideration for a further appearance when England reconvene to start their Six Nations quest in the new year.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play fly-half and midfield.
• Crucial Input: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when teammates were injured.

Squad Context and Wider Implications

Where might England have been against Argentina without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they had some fortune and maybe it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. The team showed an inevitable drop-off in energy following a significant victory over New Zealand. Perhaps the coach should have freshened things up.

Some perspective is required, though. One might be inclined to criticize England for their inability to bring much intensity into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were dominating. But, this outcome completes a clean sweep of November matches for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 concludes with 11 straight wins after starting with a loss. We are halfway through the World Cup cycle and things look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did at this stage.

Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy

The manager gives the impression that, two years out from the World Cup, he knows the vast majority of the squad he will take to Australia. Naturally, there will be the odd bolter. But there are very few existing players of the roster who are not on track for the upcoming event.

That represents an advantage because it was a problem for his preceding coach, who struggled when it was clear that certain players were not going to feature in his plans. He seems to have grasped the nettle earlier, preventing the torrid beginning that plagued the squad in the previous cycle.

Player rankings seem like they are for seafarers of yesteryear, but managers swear by them and the coach can be happy with his. Under different circumstances, England might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching late defeat. That they were not owes plenty to the young star, luck, and the quality of the substitutes. As Borthwick plans the route to the Six Nations, he has wind in England's sails after an unbeaten run, and therefore we can forgive the paucity of this performance.