🔗 Share this article

It is a interesting feature of the English team's November clean sweep that no new players made their international debut during the series of matches, a scenario not seen in 25 years. Yet, the performance of Max Ojomoh showing against the Argentine side while earning his second cap seemed to be the breakthrough of a major talent.

Star Performance in Tight Victory

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was England's most challenging outing of the November series. He scored the opening touchdown before creating the other two. The setup for his teammate via a delightful cross-field kick was the champagne moment of the first half. Similarly, his quick offload to the center for England's final score was equally eye-catching, concluding a fine debut performance at the home stadium for the 25-year-old.

Ojomoh possesses the sort of triple threat 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 multiple midfield roles for his club this season.

Rapid Rise and Upcoming Opportunities

It is just eight days since the head coach could have believed he had finally unearthed his centre partnership for the long term. But, the highest praise that can be paid to Ojomoh is that Borthwick may have to reconsider. He was first called up to an England squad four years ago, but had to bide his time until the final match of the summer tour to make his debut. Injuries to teammates paved the way for him to begin here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a third cap when England reconvene to begin their Six Nations campaign in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play number ten and centre.
• Key Contributions: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when teammates were injured.

Team Context and Broader Significance

Where might the team have been against Argentina without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they rode their luck and maybe it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. The team experienced an inevitable drop-off in intensity following a significant victory over New Zealand. Perhaps the coach ought to have made more changes.

A balanced view is needed, however. It is tempting to criticize the side for their inability to inject much urgency into this contest, or for almost throwing away a fixture they were dominating. But, this outcome marks a perfect record of November matches for the initial occasion since 2016. The year ends with eleven consecutive victories after starting with a loss. We are midway in the four-year tournament plan and the situation look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, two years out from the World Cup, he understands the vast majority of the squad he will bring to Australia. Naturally, there will be the odd bolter. But there are not many existing players of the squad who are not on track for the 2027 tournament.

This is an advantage because it posed an issue for his preceding coach, who struggled when it was clear that veterans were not going to feature in his strategy. Borthwick seems to have taken action earlier, preventing the difficult start that plagued the squad in the previous cycle.

Depth charts sound like they are for sailors of yesteryear, but coaches swear by 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 owes plenty to the young star, fortune, and the quality of the bench. As the coach plots a course to the championship, he has wind in England's sails after an unbeaten run, and as a result we can forgive the lack of quality of the recent display.