🔗 Share this article

This marks a interesting aspect of England's November clean sweep that no new players earned their international debut during the recent campaign, something not seen in a quarter of a century. However, Max Ojomoh's display against Argentina while earning his second cap seemed to be the arrival of a future star.

Star Display in Hard-Fought Victory

He proved to be the key player in what was England's most challenging outing of the November series. He finished off the first try before setting up the remaining two. The setup for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a delightful long pass 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 excellent first outing at Twickenham for the young player.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that every manager desire from their inside-centre. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has appeared at fly-half and at multiple midfield roles for his club this season.

Rapid Rise and Upcoming Prospects

It is just a little over a week since Steve Borthwick could have believed he had discovered his centre partnership for the long term. However, the highest praise that can be paid to the young star is that the coach may have to think again. He was first called up 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 paved the way for him to begin here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a further appearance when England regroup to start their championship campaign in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play fly-half and midfield.
• Crucial Input: Scored one try and set up two more.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when others were injured.

Squad Background and Broader Implications

How would the team have fared against Argentina without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they had some fortune and perhaps it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. The team experienced an inevitable drop-off in energy following a major win over New Zealand. Maybe Borthwick ought to have made more changes.

Some perspective is required, however. It is tempting to criticize the side for their failure to inject much intensity into this match, or for nearly losing a game they were controlling. But, this result marks a clean sweep of four autumn fixtures for the first time since recent years. 2025 ends with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a loss. The team is midway in the World Cup cycle and the situation look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did previously.

Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, two years out from the World Cup, he understands the core group of the squad he will take to Australia. Naturally, 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 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 plans. He seems to have grasped the nettle earlier, preventing the difficult start that plagued the squad in the past.

Depth charts sound like they belong to sailors of yesteryear, but coaches swear by them and Borthwick can be happy with his. Under different circumstances, England might be dealing with a loss after a heartbreaking late defeat. The fact they avoided that is largely due to Ojomoh, fortune, and the strength of the substitutes. While the coach plans the route to the championship, he has positive momentum after an unbeaten run, and as a result we can forgive the paucity of the recent display.