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It is a interesting aspect of the English team's November perfect record that there were no debutants earned their first cap throughout the recent campaign, a scenario not seen in a quarter of a century. However, the performance of Max Ojomoh display against Argentina while securing his second cap seemed to be the arrival of a major talent.

Standout Display in Tight Win

He proved to be the key player in what was the team's least convincing performance of the November series. He finished off the opening touchdown before creating the remaining two. His assist for his teammate via a exquisite cross-field kick was the highlight play of the first half. Likewise, his quick offload to the center for the team's final score was just as eye-catching, capping off a fine first outing at the home stadium for the 25-year-old.

He has the kind of versatile skillset that all coaches would want from their midfield player. He can run, kick and pass, and he has featured at fly-half and at multiple midfield roles for his club this season.

Rapid Ascent and Future Opportunities

It is just eight days since the head coach might have felt he had finally unearthed his centre partnership for the long term. But, the best compliment that can be given to Ojomoh is that Borthwick might need to reconsider. Ojomoh was first called up to an national team four years ago, but had to bide his time until the final match of the overseas trip to make his debut. Fitness issues to other players paved the way for Ojomoh to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a third cap when the squad reconvene to start their Six Nations quest in the new year.

• Multiple Abilities: Excels at number ten and centre.
• Crucial Input: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when others were unavailable.

Squad Context and Broader Implications

How would England have been against Argentina without him? Certainly they rode their luck and perhaps it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. The team showed an natural decline in intensity following a major win over the All Blacks. Perhaps Borthwick ought to have freshened things up.

Some perspective is needed, though. It is tempting to criticize the side for their inability to bring much intensity into this contest, or for nearly losing a fixture they were dominating. But, this result completes a perfect record of November matches for the first time since 2016. 2025 concludes with 11 straight wins after beginning with a loss. We are midway in the four-year tournament plan and things look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did at this stage.

Squad Depth and Future Planning

Borthwick appears that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he knows the vast majority of the squad he will take to Australia. Of course, there will be the odd bolter. Yet there are not many existing players of the roster who are not on track for the upcoming event.

That represents an benefit because it was a problem for his preceding coach, who struggled when it became apparent that certain players were not going to feature in his strategy. Borthwick seems to have grasped the nettle sooner, preventing the torrid beginning that plagued the squad in the past.

Player rankings seem like they belong to seafarers of the past, but coaches rely on them and the coach can be satisfied with his. On another day, England might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching narrow loss. The fact they avoided that is largely due to the young star, luck, and the strength of England's substitutes. While the coach plots a course to the Six Nations, he has wind in England's sails after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can forgive the paucity of the recent display.