🔗 Share this article

This marks a curious feature of the English team's November clean sweep that no new players made their first cap throughout the recent campaign, a scenario not seen in a quarter of a century. However, Max Ojomoh's showing against the Argentine side while securing his second cap seemed to be the breakthrough of a future star.

Star Display in Hard-Fought Win

He proved to be the star turn in what was the team's most challenging performance of the November series. He finished off the first try before creating the other two. His assist for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a exquisite long pass was the highlight play of the first half. Likewise, his quick offload to the center for the team's third try was equally eye-catching, capping off a excellent first outing at Twickenham for the young player.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that every manager desire from their midfield player. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has featured at fly-half and at both centre positions for his club this campaign.

Quick Rise and Future Prospects

Only a little over a week since Steve Borthwick might have felt he had finally unearthed his centre partnership for the long term. But, the best compliment that can be paid to Ojomoh is that the coach might need to think again. Ojomoh was first called up to an national team four years ago, but had to bide his time until the last game of the overseas trip to make his debut. Injuries to other players created the opportunity for Ojomoh to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a third cap when the squad reconvene to start their championship quest in the coming months.

• Multiple Abilities: Excels at fly-half and centre.
• Crucial Input: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Important Performance: Delivered when teammates were injured.

Squad Background and Wider Implications

Where might the team have fared against their opponents without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they rode their luck and maybe it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. England experienced an inevitable drop-off in energy following a significant victory over the All Blacks. Maybe Borthwick should have freshened things up.

Some perspective is needed, though. One might be inclined to lambast England for their failure to bring much urgency into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were controlling. But, this result completes a clean sweep of November matches for the initial occasion since recent years. 2025 concludes with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a defeat. We are halfway through the four-year tournament plan and the situation look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did at this stage.

Player Pool and Future Planning

Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he knows the core group of the squad he will bring to the host nation. Naturally, there will be the surprise inclusion. But there are not many existing players of the roster who are not on track for the upcoming event.

That represents an benefit because it was a problem for his preceding coach, who found it difficult when it became apparent that veterans were not going to play in his strategy. He seems to have grasped the nettle earlier, preventing the torrid beginning that affected the squad in the past.

Depth charts sound like they belong to sailors of the past, but managers rely on them and the coach can be satisfied with his. On another day, the team might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching narrow loss. That they were not is largely due to Ojomoh, fortune, and the quality of the bench. While Borthwick plots a course to the Six Nations, he has positive momentum after an unbeaten run, and as a result we can overlook the paucity of the recent display.