🔗 Share this article

This marks a interesting aspect of the English team's autumn clean sweep that no new players made their first cap during the series of matches, a scenario not seen in 25 years. Yet, the performance of Max Ojomoh display against Argentina while securing his second appearance seemed to be the breakthrough of a future star.

Standout Performance in Tight Win

He proved to be the key player in what was the team's most challenging outing of the November series. He finished off the first try before setting up the remaining two. His assist for his teammate via a delightful long pass was the champagne moment of the first half. Similarly, his quick offload to the center for the team's third try was just as impressive, capping off a fine first outing at the home stadium for the 25-year-old.

He has the kind of triple threat that all coaches desire from their inside-centre. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has featured at fly-half and at both centre positions for Bath this season.

Rapid Ascent and Future Opportunities

Only a little over a week since the head coach might have felt he had finally unearthed his midfield duo for the long term. However, the highest praise that can be paid to Ojomoh is that Borthwick may have to think again. He was first called up to an England squad four years ago, but had to bide his time until the last game of the summer tour to earn his first cap. Injuries to teammates created the opportunity for Ojomoh to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a third cap when England reconvene to start their championship campaign in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Excels at number ten and centre.
• Key Contributions: Scored one try and set up two more.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when others were injured.

Team Context and Broader Significance

Where might England have fared against Argentina without Ojomoh? Certainly they rode their luck and maybe it is no coincidence that he was their best player. The team experienced an natural decline in intensity following a major win over New Zealand. Maybe the coach should have freshened things up.

Some perspective is required, though. One might be inclined to lambast England for their inability to inject much urgency into this match, or for almost throwing away a fixture they were controlling. But, this outcome marks a clean sweep of four autumn fixtures for the first time since 2016. The year ends 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 Future Planning

The manager gives the impression that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he understands the vast majority of the team he will bring to the host nation. Naturally, there will be the surprise inclusion. But there are very few current members of the squad who are not on track for the 2027 tournament.

This is an benefit because it posed an issue for his predecessor, who struggled when it was clear that veterans were not going to feature in his plans. He seems to have taken action sooner, avoiding the torrid beginning that plagued the team in the past.

Player rankings sound like they are for seafarers of the past, but managers rely on them and the coach can be satisfied with his. Under different circumstances, the team might be nursing their wounds after a heartbreaking late defeat. That they were not owes plenty to the young star, fortune, and the quality of the substitutes. As the coach plans the route to the Six Nations, he has wind in England's sails after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can overlook the lack of quality of this performance.