🔗 Share this article

It is a interesting feature of England's November perfect record that there were no debutants earned their international debut throughout the series of matches, something not seen in a quarter of a century. However, Max Ojomoh's display against the Argentine side while securing his second appearance felt like the arrival of a major talent.

Star Display in Hard-Fought Win

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was England's most challenging performance of the autumn. He finished off the first try before creating the remaining two. His assist for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a exquisite cross-field kick was the highlight play of the first half. Likewise, his quick offload to the center for England's final score was equally eye-catching, capping off a excellent first outing at the home stadium for the young player.

Ojomoh possesses the sort of versatile skillset that all coaches would want from their inside-centre. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has appeared at number ten and at both centre positions for Bath this campaign.

Rapid Rise and Future Prospects

Only eight days since Steve Borthwick could have believed he had discovered 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 initially selected to an England squad four years ago, but had to wait until the last game of the overseas trip to make his debut. Injuries to teammates created the opportunity for him to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a third cap when England regroup to start their Six Nations campaign in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Excels at number ten and centre.
• Crucial Input: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Timely Impact: Stepped up when others were unavailable.

Squad Context and Wider Significance

How would the team have fared against their opponents without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they had some fortune and perhaps it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. England experienced an inevitable drop-off in energy following a major win over the All Blacks. Perhaps the coach ought to have made more changes.

Some perspective is needed, though. One might be inclined to criticize England for their failure to inject much intensity into this match, or for nearly losing a fixture they were controlling. But, this outcome marks a perfect record of November matches for the first time since 2016. 2025 concludes with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a defeat. The team is midway in the World Cup cycle and the situation look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did at this stage.

Squad Depth and Long-Term Strategy

The manager appears that, two years out from the global tournament, he knows the core group of the squad he will take to the host nation. 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 upcoming event.

That represents an benefit because it was a problem for his predecessor, who found it difficult when it became apparent that certain players were not going to feature in his strategy. Borthwick seems to have grasped the nettle earlier, preventing the torrid start that plagued the squad in the past.

Depth charts sound like they belong to seafarers of the past, but managers rely on them and the coach can be satisfied with his. On another day, England might be dealing with a loss after a heartbreaking narrow loss. That they were not is largely due to Ojomoh, fortune, and the quality of England's substitutes. While Borthwick plans the route to the championship, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can overlook the paucity of this performance.