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It is a curious feature of the English team's autumn clean sweep that no new players made their first cap throughout the recent campaign, something not seen in 25 years. Yet, Max Ojomoh's showing against the Argentine side while securing his second appearance felt like the arrival of a major talent.

Standout Display in Hard-Fought 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 remaining two. His assist for his teammate via a exquisite cross-field kick was the champagne moment of the first half. Likewise, his quick offload to Henry Slade for the team's third try was equally impressive, concluding a fine debut performance at the home stadium for the 25-year-old.

Ojomoh possesses the sort of versatile skillset that every manager would want from their midfield player. His abilities include running, kicking, and passing, and he has appeared at number ten and at multiple midfield roles for his club this campaign.

Rapid Rise and Future Prospects

Only eight days since the head coach might have felt he had discovered his midfield duo for the future. But, the best compliment that can be given to Ojomoh is that Borthwick might need to think again. He was first called up to an England squad previously, but had to wait until the final match of the summer tour to earn his first cap. Fitness issues to other players paved the way for Ojomoh to start here, and he undoubtedly will be in contention for a third cap when the squad reconvene to begin their championship quest in the coming months.

• Multiple Abilities: Excels at fly-half and centre.
• Key Contributions: Scored one try and set up two more.
• Timely Impact: Stepped up when teammates were unavailable.

Team Context and Wider Implications

Where might the team have been against Argentina without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they rode their luck and perhaps it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer. England experienced an natural decline in energy following a significant victory over the All Blacks. Perhaps the coach should have freshened things up.

A balanced view is needed, however. One might be inclined to criticize England for their failure to inject much intensity into this contest, or for nearly losing a fixture they were dominating. But, this result marks a clean sweep of four autumn fixtures for the first time since 2016. The year ends with 11 straight wins after beginning with a defeat. The team is midway in the World Cup cycle and things look much more positive for Borthwick than they did previously.

Squad Depth and Future Planning

The manager gives the impression that, with time remaining from the World Cup, he understands the core group of the squad he will bring to the host nation. 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 upcoming event.

This is an advantage because it posed an issue for his preceding coach, who struggled when it was clear that veterans were not going to feature in his plans. He seems to have taken action sooner, preventing the difficult start that affected the squad in the past.

Player rankings sound like they are for sailors of yesteryear, but managers rely on them and the coach can be satisfied with his. On another day, the team might be nursing their wounds after a heartbreaking narrow loss. That they were not owes plenty to the young star, luck, and the quality of England's bench. While the coach plans the route to the Six Nations, he has positive momentum after an unbeaten run, and therefore we can overlook the paucity of the recent display.