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It is a interesting feature of the English team's autumn clean sweep that no new players made their first cap throughout the recent campaign, a scenario not seen in a quarter of a century. However, Max Ojomoh's display against Argentina while securing his second appearance felt like the breakthrough of a future star.

Star Performance in Tight Win

Ojomoh was the key player in what was England's least convincing performance of the November series. He scored the first try before setting up the other two. His assist for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a exquisite cross-field kick was the highlight play of the opening period. Likewise, his quick offload to the center for the team's final score was equally eye-catching, capping off a excellent debut performance at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.

He has the kind of versatile skillset that all coaches desire from their midfield player. He can run, kick and pass, and he has featured at number ten and at multiple midfield roles for Bath this season.

Rapid Rise and Future Opportunities

Only a little over a week since the head coach might have felt he had discovered his midfield duo for the future. However, the highest praise that can be paid to the young star is that Borthwick may have to think again. Ojomoh was first called up to an national team previously, but had to wait until the final match of the overseas trip to earn his first cap. Fitness issues to other players paved the way for Ojomoh to start here, and he surely will be in contention for a third cap when the squad regroup to start their Six Nations quest in the coming months.

• Versatile Skillset: Excels at fly-half and midfield.
• Key Contributions: Notched a touchdown and assisted two.
• Important Performance: Delivered when others were unavailable.

Squad Background and Wider Significance

How would the team have been against their opponents without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they had some fortune and maybe it is not surprising that he was their best player. England experienced an inevitable drop-off in intensity following a significant victory over New Zealand. Maybe Borthwick should have freshened things up.

A balanced view is needed, though. One might be inclined to criticize the side for their failure to inject much intensity into this contest, or for almost throwing away a game they were controlling. However, this result marks a clean sweep of November matches for the initial occasion since recent years. The year ends with eleven consecutive victories after starting with a loss. The team is midway in the World Cup cycle and the situation look much more positive for Borthwick than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, with time remaining from the global tournament, he knows the vast majority of the team he will bring to the host nation. Naturally, there will be the odd bolter. Yet 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 predecessor, who found it difficult when it became apparent that veterans were not going to feature in his plans. Borthwick seems to have taken action earlier, avoiding the difficult beginning that plagued the team in the previous cycle.

Depth charts seem like they are for seafarers of the past, but coaches swear by them and the coach can be happy with his. On another day, England might be nursing their wounds after a heartbreaking narrow loss. That they were not is largely due to the young star, luck, and the strength of the substitutes. As the coach plots a course to the championship, he has positive momentum after 11 wins in a row, and therefore we can overlook the lack of quality of this performance.