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It is a curious feature of England's autumn perfect record that there were no debutants earned their international debut throughout the recent campaign, something not seen in 25 years. However, Max Ojomoh's showing against the Argentine side while earning his second cap felt like the arrival of a future star.

Star Performance in Tight Victory

He proved to be the star turn in what was England's least convincing outing of the November series. He finished off the first try before creating the other two. The setup for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso via a exquisite cross-field kick was the champagne moment of the opening period. Likewise, his popped pass to the center for the team's final score was equally impressive, concluding a excellent first outing at Twickenham for the young player.

He has the sort of triple threat that every manager desire from their midfield player. He can run, kick and pass, and he has appeared at fly-half and at multiple midfield roles for his club this season.

Quick Rise and Future Opportunities

It is just a little over a week since the head coach might have felt he had discovered his midfield duo for the long term. However, the best compliment that can be given to the young star is that the coach may have to reconsider. Ojomoh 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. Injuries to other players paved the way for Ojomoh to begin here, and he undoubtedly will be in consideration for a third cap when England reconvene to start their Six Nations quest in the coming months.

• Multiple Abilities: Can play fly-half and centre.
• Key Contributions: Scored one try and assisted two.
• Timely Impact: Delivered when teammates were unavailable.

Squad Background and Broader Implications

Where might the team have been against Argentina without Ojomoh? Undoubtedly they had some fortune and perhaps it is not surprising that he was their best player. The team experienced an inevitable drop-off in energy following a significant victory over New Zealand. Maybe the coach ought to have made more changes.

A balanced view is required, though. One might be inclined to lambast England for their inability to bring much intensity into this match, or for nearly losing a fixture they were controlling. However, this result marks a perfect record of November matches for the initial occasion since 2016. The year concludes with 11 straight wins after starting with a loss. The team is halfway through the World Cup cycle and the situation look much more positive for the coach than they did at this stage.

Player Pool and Long-Term Strategy

Borthwick gives the impression that, two years out from the World Cup, he knows the vast majority of the team he will bring to Australia. Naturally, there will be the odd bolter. Yet there are very few current members of the roster who are not in contention for the upcoming event.

This is an benefit because it was a problem for his predecessor, who struggled when it became apparent that veterans were not going to feature in his strategy. Borthwick seems to have taken action earlier, preventing the torrid start that affected the squad in the previous cycle.

Player rankings seem like they belong to seafarers of the past, but coaches rely on them and the coach can be happy with his. On another day, England might be dealing with a loss after a gut-wrenching late defeat. That they were not owes plenty to the young star, fortune, and the strength of England's substitutes. As Borthwick plans the route to the Six Nations, he has positive momentum after an unbeaten run, and therefore we can forgive the paucity of this performance.