🔗 Share this article

This marks a interesting feature of England's November perfect record that no new players earned their first cap during the recent campaign, something not seen in a quarter of a century. Yet, the performance of Max Ojomoh display against the Argentine side while securing his second appearance felt like the breakthrough of a future star.

Standout Display in Tight Victory

Ojomoh was the star turn 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 highlight play of the first half. Similarly, his popped pass to Henry Slade for England's final score was just as eye-catching, concluding a fine first outing at Twickenham for the young player.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that every manager would want from their midfield player. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has featured at number ten and at both centre positions for Bath this campaign.

Rapid Rise and Future Opportunities

It is just a little over a week since Steve Borthwick might have felt he had finally unearthed his centre partnership for the future. However, the best compliment that can be paid to the young star is that Borthwick might need to reconsider. Ojomoh was initially selected to an national team previously, but had to bide his time until the last game of the overseas trip to earn his first cap. Fitness issues to teammates paved the way for Ojomoh to begin here, and he surely will be in contention for a further appearance when England reconvene to start their Six Nations quest in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Excels at number ten and centre.
• Crucial Input: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when teammates were injured.

Team Background and Broader Implications

Where might England have been against Argentina without Ojomoh? Certainly they rode their luck and maybe it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. The team experienced an natural decline in energy following a significant victory over New Zealand. Maybe Borthwick should have made more changes.

A balanced view is needed, however. One might be inclined to lambast England for their inability to inject much urgency into this contest, 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. The year ends with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a loss. The team is midway in the four-year tournament plan and the situation look much more positive for Borthwick than they did previously.

Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he knows the vast majority of the team he will take to the host nation. Naturally, there will be the surprise inclusion. But there are very few existing players of the roster who are not in contention for the 2027 tournament.

This is an benefit because it posed an issue for his preceding coach, who found it difficult when it became apparent that certain players were not going to feature in his strategy. He seems to have taken action sooner, preventing the torrid beginning that affected the team in the previous cycle.

Player rankings seem like they are for sailors of yesteryear, but managers swear by them and the coach can be happy 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 the young star, luck, and the quality of England's substitutes. As Borthwick plots a course to the Six Nations, he has wind in England's sails after 11 wins in a row, and as a result we can overlook the paucity of this performance.