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It is a curious feature of England's November clean sweep that no new players made their first cap throughout the series of matches, a scenario not seen in 25 years. However, Max Ojomoh's display against the Argentine side while securing his second cap seemed to be the arrival of a future star.

Standout Display in Tight Win

Ojomoh was the key player in what was England's least convincing outing of the autumn. He finished off the opening touchdown before setting up the remaining two. The setup for his teammate via a delightful cross-field kick was the champagne moment of the first half. Likewise, his popped pass to the center for the team's third try was just as eye-catching, concluding a fine first outing at the home stadium for the young player.

He has the kind of triple threat that all coaches would want from their midfield player. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has featured at number ten and at multiple midfield roles for his club this campaign.

Quick Rise and Upcoming Prospects

It is just eight days since the head coach might have felt he had discovered his centre partnership for the long term. However, the highest praise that can be given to Ojomoh is that the coach might need to think again. He was first called up to an England squad previously, but had to bide his time until the last game of the summer tour to make his debut. Injuries to teammates paved the way for him to begin here, and he undoubtedly will be in consideration for a third cap when England reconvene to begin their championship campaign in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Can play number ten and centre.
• Key Contributions: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Important Performance: Stepped up when teammates were injured.

Team Context and Broader Implications

Where might the team have fared against Argentina without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they rode their luck and perhaps it is no coincidence that he was their best player. England experienced an inevitable drop-off in intensity following a significant victory over New Zealand. Maybe the coach should have freshened things up.

A balanced view is required, however. One might be inclined to lambast England for their inability to inject much urgency into this match, or for nearly losing a fixture they were controlling. But, this outcome 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. We are midway in the World Cup cycle and things look much more positive for the coach than they did previously.

Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, two years out from the World Cup, he knows the core group of the squad 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 2027 tournament.

That represents an advantage because it was a problem for his predecessor, who struggled when it became apparent that certain players were not going to play in his plans. He seems to have taken action earlier, avoiding the difficult beginning that plagued the squad in the past.

Depth charts seem like they are for sailors of yesteryear, but managers rely on them and the coach can be satisfied with his. On another day, England might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching narrow loss. The fact they avoided that is largely due to Ojomoh, fortune, and the strength of England's substitutes. While Borthwick plots a course to the Six Nations, he has positive momentum after an unbeaten run, and as a result we can forgive the lack of quality of the recent display.