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This marks a curious aspect of the English team's autumn perfect record that there were no debutants made their international debut throughout the series of matches, a scenario not seen in 25 years. Yet, Max Ojomoh's showing against Argentina while securing his second appearance felt like the breakthrough of a future star.

Standout Display in Tight Victory

He proved to be the star turn in what was England's least convincing outing of the autumn. He finished off the first try before creating the remaining two. The setup for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a exquisite cross-field kick was the highlight play of the first half. Similarly, his quick offload to Henry Slade for the team's third try was equally impressive, concluding a excellent first outing at Twickenham for the young player.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that all coaches desire from their inside-centre. He can run, kick and pass, and he has featured at number ten and at both centre positions for his club this campaign.

Quick Ascent and Future Opportunities

It is just a little over a week since the head coach could have believed he had discovered his midfield duo for the long term. But, the highest praise that can be given to the young star is that Borthwick might need to think again. Ojomoh was initially selected to an England squad previously, but had to bide his time until the final match of the overseas trip to earn his first cap. Injuries to other players paved the way for Ojomoh to begin here, and he undoubtedly will be in consideration for a further appearance when the squad regroup to begin their championship quest in the new year.

• Versatile Skillset: Excels at number ten and midfield.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when teammates were unavailable.

Team Context and Wider Significance

Where might England have been against Argentina without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they rode their luck and perhaps it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. England experienced an natural decline in energy following a major win over New Zealand. Maybe Borthwick should have made more changes.

A balanced view is required, however. It is tempting to criticize the side for their failure to inject much urgency into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were dominating. But, this outcome completes a perfect record of November matches for the first time since recent years. 2025 concludes with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a defeat. We are midway in the World Cup cycle and the situation 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 global tournament, he knows the vast majority of the squad he will take to the host nation. Of course, there will be the odd bolter. Yet there are very few existing players of the squad who are not on track for the 2027 tournament.

That represents an advantage because it posed an issue for his predecessor, who struggled when it was clear that certain players were not going to play in his plans. Borthwick seems to have taken action earlier, preventing the difficult start that affected the team in the previous cycle.

Depth charts sound like they belong to sailors of the past, but managers rely on them and Borthwick can be satisfied with his. Under different circumstances, the team might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching late defeat. The fact they avoided that is largely due to Ojomoh, luck, and the strength of the bench. As the coach plans the route to the championship, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can forgive the paucity of this performance.