🔗 Share this article

It is a curious feature of England's autumn clean sweep that no new players made their first cap throughout the recent campaign, a scenario not seen in a quarter of a century. Yet, Max Ojomoh's display against Argentina while earning his second appearance seemed to be the arrival of a major talent.

Standout Performance in Hard-Fought Win

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was England's least convincing outing of the November series. He scored the first try before creating the other two. His assist for his teammate via a delightful long pass was the highlight play of the first half. Likewise, his quick offload to the center for England's final score was equally eye-catching, concluding a fine first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of versatile skillset that every manager desire from their inside-centre. He can run, kick and pass, and he has appeared at fly-half and at both centre positions for his club this season.

Quick Rise and Upcoming Prospects

Only a little over a week since Steve Borthwick could have believed he had finally unearthed his midfield duo for the future. But, the best compliment that can be given to Ojomoh is that the coach might need to reconsider. Ojomoh was initially selected 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. Fitness issues to other players created the opportunity for him to begin here, and he surely will be in contention for a third cap when England reconvene to start their Six Nations quest in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play number ten and centre.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and set up two more.
• Timely Impact: Delivered when others were injured.

Team Background and Broader Significance

Where might England have fared against Argentina without him? Certainly they had some fortune and maybe it is not surprising that he was their best player. The team showed an natural decline in intensity following a major win over New Zealand. Perhaps Borthwick ought to have made more changes.

A balanced view is required, however. One might be inclined to criticize England for their inability to inject much intensity into this contest, or for nearly losing a game they were controlling. However, this outcome completes a clean sweep of November matches for the initial occasion since 2016. The year concludes with eleven consecutive victories after starting with a loss. The team is halfway through the four-year tournament plan and the situation look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did at this stage.

Squad Depth and Future Planning

The manager appears that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he knows the core group of the team he will bring to the host nation. Naturally, there will be the surprise inclusion. Yet there are not many existing players of the squad who are not in contention for the upcoming event.

This is an benefit because it was a problem for his predecessor, who found it difficult when it became apparent that certain players were not going to feature in his plans. He seems to have taken action sooner, avoiding the torrid start that affected the squad in the previous cycle.

Player rankings seem like they belong to seafarers of yesteryear, but managers swear by them and the coach can be happy with his. On another day, England might be dealing with a loss after a heartbreaking late defeat. That they were not is largely due to the young star, luck, and the strength of the substitutes. As Borthwick plots a course to the championship, 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.