Ojomoh Delivers Champagne Moment for England to Mark Arrival on Big Stage.
It is a curious feature of the English team's November perfect record that there were no debutants earned their international debut during the series of matches, something not seen in a quarter of a century. Yet, Max Ojomoh's display against the Argentine side while earning his second appearance felt like the arrival of a future star.
Star Display in Tight Victory
He proved to be the star turn in what was the team's most challenging outing of the November series. He scored the first try before creating the remaining two. The setup for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a delightful long pass was the highlight play of the opening period. Likewise, his popped pass to the center for the team's final score was equally impressive, concluding a fine first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.
Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat that every manager would want 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 campaign.
Quick Ascent and Upcoming Prospects
It is just a little over a week since the head coach could have believed he had finally unearthed his midfield duo for the future. But, the highest praise that can be given to the young star is that the coach might need to reconsider. He was first called up to an England squad four years ago, but had to bide his time until the last game of the summer tour to earn his first cap. Fitness issues to teammates paved the way for him to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in consideration for a further appearance when England reconvene to start their championship campaign in the new year.
- Versatile Skillset: Can play fly-half and centre.
- Crucial Input: Scored one try and assisted two.
- Timely Impact: Stepped up when others were unavailable.
Squad Context and Broader Significance
How would the team 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 intensity following a major win over the All Blacks. Maybe the coach should have made more changes.
A balanced view is needed, though. It is tempting to criticize England for their failure to bring much urgency into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were dominating. However, this outcome completes a perfect record of four autumn fixtures for the first time since recent years. 2025 ends with eleven consecutive victories after starting with a defeat. We are midway in the four-year tournament plan and the situation look considerably rosier for the coach than they did previously.
Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy
Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the global tournament, he understands the vast majority of the team he will take to Australia. Of course, there will be the surprise inclusion. But there are not many existing players of the squad who are not on track for the upcoming event.
That represents an benefit because it was a problem for his preceding coach, who struggled when it became apparent that veterans were not going to play in his strategy. Borthwick seems to have grasped the nettle sooner, preventing the difficult beginning that plagued the squad in the previous cycle.
Player rankings seem like they belong to sailors of the past, but managers swear by them and the coach can be happy with his. Under different circumstances, England might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching late defeat. The fact they avoided that owes plenty to Ojomoh, fortune, and the strength of the bench. As the coach plans the route to the Six Nations, he has wind in England's sails after an unbeaten run, and therefore we can overlook the lack of quality of this performance.