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This marks a curious feature of England's November perfect record that no new players made their first cap during the recent campaign, something not seen in 25 years. However, Max Ojomoh's display against Argentina while earning his second appearance felt like the arrival of a major talent.

Star Performance in Tight Victory

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was England's most challenging outing of the autumn. He scored the opening touchdown before creating the remaining two. His assist for his teammate via a exquisite long pass was the highlight play of the opening period. Similarly, his popped pass to Henry Slade for the team's final score was just as eye-catching, concluding a fine first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

He has the sort of versatile skillset that all coaches would want from their midfield player. He can run, kick and pass, and he has featured at number ten and at multiple midfield roles for Bath this season.

Rapid Rise and Upcoming Opportunities

It is just a little over a week since the head coach might have felt he had discovered his centre partnership for the future. However, the best compliment that can be given to the young star is that Borthwick may have to think again. Ojomoh was first called up to an national team previously, but had to bide his time until the last game of the overseas trip to earn his first cap. Injuries to teammates paved the way for him to begin here, and he surely will be in consideration for a further appearance when England reconvene to start their Six Nations campaign in the new year.

• Multiple Abilities: Can play fly-half and centre.
• Key Contributions: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Important Performance: Delivered when teammates were unavailable.

Squad Context and Broader Significance

Where might England have been against their opponents without him? Certainly they rode their luck and maybe it is not surprising that he was their best player. England experienced an inevitable drop-off in intensity following a major win over New Zealand. Maybe Borthwick should have made more changes.

A balanced view is needed, though. It is tempting to criticize England for their failure to inject much urgency into this match, or for nearly losing a game they were controlling. But, this outcome marks a clean sweep of four autumn fixtures for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 concludes with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a loss. The team is halfway through the four-year tournament plan and the situation look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Long-Term Strategy

The manager gives the impression that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he understands the core group of the team he will bring to Australia. Of course, there will be the surprise inclusion. Yet there are not many current members of the squad who are not in contention for the 2027 tournament.

That represents an advantage because it was a problem for his preceding coach, who struggled when it was clear that veterans were not going to feature in his plans. He seems to have taken action sooner, preventing the torrid beginning that plagued the squad in the past.

Player rankings seem like they belong to sailors of the past, but coaches swear by them and Borthwick can be happy with his. On another day, England might be dealing with a loss after a heartbreaking narrow loss. That they were not is largely due 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 11 wins in a row, and therefore we can overlook the paucity of this performance.