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This marks a curious feature of England's autumn perfect record that no new players earned their first cap throughout the recent campaign, something not seen in 25 years. Yet, the performance of Max Ojomoh showing against the Argentine side while securing his second cap seemed to be the arrival of a major talent.

Standout Display in Hard-Fought Victory

Ojomoh was the key player in what was England's least convincing performance of the autumn. He scored the first try before setting up the remaining two. His assist for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a exquisite long pass was the highlight play of the opening period. Similarly, his quick offload to Henry Slade for England's third try was just as impressive, capping off a excellent first outing at Twickenham for the young player.

He has the kind of versatile skillset that every manager would want from their midfield player. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has appeared at fly-half and at both centre positions for his club this campaign.

Rapid Rise and Upcoming Prospects

Only a little over a week since the head coach might have felt he had discovered his centre partnership for the long term. But, the best compliment that can be given to Ojomoh is that the coach might need to reconsider. He was initially selected to an national team four years ago, but had to wait until the final match of the summer tour to make his debut. Fitness issues to teammates paved the way for Ojomoh to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a further appearance when the squad reconvene to start their championship campaign in the coming months.

• Multiple Abilities: Excels at number ten and midfield.
• Key Contributions: Scored one try and set up two more.
• Important Performance: Delivered when others were unavailable.

Team Background and Wider Significance

How would the team have been against their opponents without Ojomoh? Certainly they rode their luck and perhaps it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. England showed an inevitable drop-off in intensity following a major win over New Zealand. Perhaps Borthwick ought to have freshened things up.

A balanced view is required, however. It is tempting to criticize the side for their failure to inject much urgency into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were dominating. But, this outcome completes a clean sweep of November matches for the initial occasion since 2016. The year ends with eleven consecutive victories after starting with a loss. We are halfway through the World Cup cycle and the situation look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did at this stage.

Squad Depth and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick appears that, two years out from the global tournament, he knows the vast majority of the squad he will take to the host nation. Naturally, there will be the surprise inclusion. But there are not many current members of the roster who are not on track for the 2027 tournament.

This is an advantage because it was a problem for his predecessor, who found it difficult when it was clear that certain players were not going to feature in his plans. Borthwick seems to have taken action sooner, avoiding the difficult start that affected the team in the past.

Player rankings seem like they belong to sailors of yesteryear, but coaches rely on them and the coach can be happy with his. On another day, England might be nursing their wounds after a gut-wrenching late defeat. That they were not is largely due to Ojomoh, luck, and the strength of England's substitutes. 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 this performance.