Ojomoh Provides Champagne Highlight for England to Mark Arrival on Big Stage.
It is a curious aspect of the English team's autumn clean sweep that there were no debutants made their international debut 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 breakthrough of a future star.
Standout Display in Tight Win
Ojomoh was the star turn in what was the team's most challenging performance of the November series. He finished off the opening touchdown before creating the other two. The setup for his teammate via a exquisite cross-field kick was the highlight play of the first half. Similarly, his quick offload to Henry Slade for the team's third try was equally impressive, capping off a excellent first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.
He has the kind of triple threat that every manager would want from their inside-centre. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has featured at fly-half and at both centre positions for Bath this campaign.
Quick Ascent and Future Opportunities
It is just eight days since the head coach might have felt he had finally unearthed his midfield duo for the future. However, the best compliment that can be given to the young star is that Borthwick might need to reconsider. He was initially selected to an England squad previously, but had to bide his time until the final match of the summer tour to make his debut. Fitness issues to teammates paved the way for Ojomoh to begin here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a third cap when the squad regroup to start their Six Nations quest in the coming months.
- Versatile Skillset: Can play number ten and centre.
- Crucial Input: Notched a touchdown and assisted two.
- Important Performance: Stepped up when others were injured.
Team Context and Broader Implications
Where might the team have fared against Argentina without him? Certainly they had some fortune and maybe it is not surprising that he was their best player. England experienced an natural decline in energy following a major win over New Zealand. Maybe Borthwick ought to have freshened things up.
Some perspective is required, however. One might be inclined to lambast England for their failure to inject much intensity into this contest, or for almost throwing away a fixture they were controlling. However, this result marks a perfect record of November matches for the initial occasion since 2016. 2025 ends with 11 straight wins after beginning with a defeat. The team is halfway through the four-year tournament plan and things look considerably rosier for the coach than they did previously.
Squad Depth and Future Planning
Borthwick gives the impression that, two years out from the World Cup, he knows the vast majority of the squad he will bring to Australia. Of course, there will be the surprise inclusion. But there are not many current members of the roster who are not in contention for the 2027 tournament.
That represents an advantage because it posed an issue for his predecessor, who struggled when it was clear that veterans were not going to feature in his strategy. Borthwick seems to have taken action earlier, avoiding the difficult beginning that plagued the squad in the past.
Depth charts sound like they belong to seafarers of the past, but managers rely on them and Borthwick can be satisfied with his. On another day, England might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching late defeat. The fact they avoided that is largely due to the young star, fortune, and the quality of England's substitutes. As the coach plots a course to the Six Nations, he has positive momentum after an unbeaten run, and therefore we can forgive the lack of quality of the recent display.
