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It is a curious feature of England's autumn clean sweep that there were no debutants made their first cap throughout the recent campaign, something not seen in 25 years. However, the performance of Max Ojomoh showing against Argentina while securing his second cap seemed to be the breakthrough of a major talent.

Standout Display in Tight Victory

Ojomoh was the star turn in what was England's least convincing outing of the autumn. He finished off the first try before creating the remaining two. The setup for his teammate via a exquisite long pass was the champagne moment of the opening period. Similarly, his quick offload to Henry Slade for the team's final score was just as impressive, concluding a fine debut performance at the home stadium for the 25-year-old.

Ojomoh possesses the kind of versatile skillset that all coaches desire from their midfield player. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has featured at fly-half and at multiple midfield roles for his club this season.

Quick Ascent and Upcoming 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. 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 previously, but had to bide his time until the last game of the summer tour to make his debut. Fitness issues to teammates created the opportunity for Ojomoh to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in consideration for a further appearance when the squad reconvene to begin their Six Nations campaign in the new year.

• Multiple Abilities: Excels at number ten and midfield.
• Crucial Input: Scored one try and set up two more.
• Timely Impact: Stepped up when others were unavailable.

Squad Context and Broader Implications

Where might England have fared against their opponents without Ojomoh? Certainly they had some fortune and maybe it is not surprising that he was their standout performer. England experienced an inevitable drop-off in intensity following a major win over New Zealand. Perhaps Borthwick ought to have made more changes.

A balanced view is required, however. It is tempting to lambast England for their failure to inject much intensity into this match, or for nearly losing a fixture they were controlling. But, this outcome completes a perfect record of four autumn fixtures for the first time since recent years. The year concludes with eleven consecutive victories after beginning with a loss. The team is halfway through the World Cup cycle and things look much more positive for Borthwick than they did at this stage.

Player Pool and Future Planning

The manager gives the impression that, two years out from the global tournament, he understands the core group of the team he will bring to Australia. Naturally, there will be the odd bolter. Yet there are very few current members of the squad who are not in contention for the 2027 tournament.

This is an benefit because it was a problem for his preceding coach, who found it difficult when it was clear that veterans were not going to feature in his plans. He seems to have taken action sooner, preventing the torrid start that affected the squad in the previous cycle.

Depth charts sound like they are for sailors of the past, but managers rely on 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 Ojomoh, fortune, and the strength of the bench. While Borthwick plots a course to the championship, he has wind in England's sails after an unbeaten run, and therefore we can overlook the lack of quality of the recent display.