Max Ojomoh delivers champagne moment for England to signify arrival on big stage | Gerard Meagher
It is a quirk of England’s November clean sweep that there were no debutants throughout an autumn campaign for the first time in 25 years but Max Ojomoh’s performance against Argentina when winning his second cap certainly felt like the arrival of the next big thing.For Ojomoh was the star turn of England’s least convincing performance of the autumn, finishing off the first try before teeing up the other two.His assist for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, a delightful cross-field kick, was the champagne moment of the first half and his popped pass to Henry Slade for England’s third was equally eye-catching, rounding off a fine first outing at Twickenham for the 25-year-old.It is just eight days since Steve Borthwick might have felt that he had finally unearthed his centre partnership for the future after Fraser Dingwall and Ollie Lawrence dovetailed superbly in the victory against the All Blacks.The best compliment that can be paid to Ojomoh is that Borthwick may have to think again.
He was first called up to an England squad four years ago but had to wait until the final match of the summer tour against the USA to make his debut.It took injuries to Lawrence and Dingwall – whose withdrawal on Friday paved the way for Ojomoh to start – but he surely will be in contention for a third when England regroup to begin their Six Nations campaign in the new year.Ojomoh possesses the kind of triple threat all coaches would want from their inside-centre.He can run, kick and pass, and he has appeared at fly-half and both centre positions for Bath this season.Where might England have been against Argentina without him? Certainly they rode their luck and perhaps it is no coincidence that he was their standout performer having spent most of the week expecting to miss out, for there was an inevitable drop-off in intensity on the back of a first Twickenham win against New Zealand in 13 years.
Perhaps Borthwick ought to have freshened things up a bit more.Indeed, it seemed significant that after opting to kick a 39th-minute penalty at goal – which George Ford missed – a more straightforward one was kicked to the corner a minute later.If nothing else, it was an attempt to bring some dynamism to a side struggling to move out of third gear.Some perspective is needed, however.It is tempting to lambast England for their inability to inject much urgency into the match, to attempt to shut up shop before the first half was up, to criticise them for almost throwing away a game in which they were cruising in the first half.
To wonder if the “grenades” that Eddie Jones used to bemoan – a metaphor for England’s inability to wrestle back momentum – might be going off again.To again question Henry Pollock’s post-match behaviour.Tom Curry’s too.But this goes down in the ledger as a clean sweep of four autumn fixtures for the first time since 2016.The year ends with 11 straight wins after it began with defeat in Dublin.
We are halfway through the World Cup cycle and things look considerably rosier for Borthwick than they did at this stage last year.He has used 53 players across 2025 and 32 in these four November victories.Rassie Erasmus is lauded for how he has rotated through his squad, all the while keeping the Springboks ahead of the chasing pack, and he put his total at 50 on Saturday, with one more fixture, against Wales next Saturday, to come this year.Borthwick gives the impression that, two years out from the World Cup, he knows the vast majority of the squad that he will take with him to Australia.As they might say down under, Borthwick appears to be aware of what cattle he will have at his disposal.
Of course, there will be the odd bolter,Noah Caluori will get the chance to showcase his extraordinary talents at some point in 2026, for example, but there are very few current members of the squad who are not on track for the 2027 tournament,Sign up to The BreakdownThe latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewedafter newsletter promotionThat is an advantage because it was a problem that his predecessor, Jones, struggled with when it became apparent that players such as Mike Brown, Dylan Hartley, Chris Robshaw and James Haskell were not going to feature in his plans for the 2019 World Cup,He did not grasp the situation as early as he should have and England endured a torrid first half of 2018 that almost cost him his job,It feels relevant because that is precisely the stage of the World Cup cycle that Borthwick now turns his attention to.
Depth charts sound like they belong to seafarers of yesteryear but coaches swear by them and Borthwick can be happy with his.For it is worth noting that Elliot Daly was the only back in the initial XV who also started in the thumping victory against Wales in March to round off the Six Nations.Borthwick likes to talk about the small margins and on another day England might be nursing their wounds after a gut-wrenching late defeat.That they were not owes plenty to Ojomoh, to luck and to the strength of England’s bench.But as Borthwick plots a course to the Six Nations, he has wind in England’s sails after 11 wins in a row and as a result we can forgive him the paucity of this performance.
Goblets of borscht, turkey-shaped madeleines: why Martha Stewart’s fantastical menus are still an inspiration
The celebrations were imminent and the greenhouse ready to accommodate – among the orchids, in unseasonable November warmth – an intimate Hawaiian luau. The table was set with giant clam shells for serving vessels and miniature hibachis for grilling Dungeness crab. Somebody had found a small, pink pineapple and secured it on the watermelon like a brooch. The hostess considered the merits of a hula dancer, but in the end settled on a more succinct spectacle: a 19lb suckling pig, enwreathed with sub-tropical flowers and caparisoned in bronze.It was, and could only ever have been, a Martha Stewart affair
Winter has finally kicked in – it’s time to crack out the casserole dish and get stewing
At the risk of sounding like a British cliche, can we take a moment to discuss the change in the weather? This week’s sudden drop in temperature has our house excited for potential snow (the children are giddy), with everything suddenly feeling a lot more wintry. New coats are on the hooks, thermals are being dug out and a casserole dish filled with some sort of soup, stew or stock seems to be permanently ticking away on the hob. These range from quick, warming weeknight dinners to leisurely, slow-cooked weekend meals.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link
Helen Goh’s recipe for cranberry, orange and ginger upside-down cake | The sweet spot
Bright, tart cranberries are one of the most vivid flavours of the Thanksgiving table, but they often play a supporting role to turkey and stuffing. Here, however, they take centre stage in a sparkling upside-down cake, and their ruby tones gleam over a tender, orange-scented crumb. The batter is enriched with soured cream, ensuring every bite is a balance of sweet, sharp and soft.A note about the cranberries: if using frozen, do not defrost them first.Prep 10 min Cook 1 hr 15 min, plus cooling Serves 8-10For the cranberry caramel base 60g unsalted butter 100g light brown sugar 1 tbsp fresh orange juice2 tsp finely grated ginger⅛ tsp flaky sea salt250g fresh or frozen cranberriesFor the cake batter150g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda ¼ tsp fine sea salt 120g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing150g caster sugar Finely grated zest of 1 orange 2 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 120g full-fat soured creamGrease a 20cm round cake tin (at least 5cm deep, and not springform), then line the base and sides with baking paper
Why nonalcoholic spirits go from strength to strength
It’s time to start thinking about the C word. You might well already have plans to stock up for house guests who are drinking, but what about those who aren’t? It’s a good opportunity to think about how we might jazz up our non-alcoholic offering for friends and family who are trying to drink less, or not drinking booze at all. Sometimes, your friend will just want a Fanta, but I don’t like being the one to offer it to them. We can do better than that.The Guardian’s journalism is independent
Tell us about a recipe that has stood the test of time
Recipes carry stories, and often when they have been passed down from generation to generation, these tales have a chapter added to them each time they are made. Family members concoct elaborate treats and seasoning mixes, which in some cases travel across oceans to end up on our dinner tables.We would like to hear about the recipes that have stood the test of time for you, and never fail to impress. Who first made it for you? Did you stick to the recipe that was passed down or have you improvised? What are the stories you associate with your favourite family recipe?Let us know and we will feature some of the best in Feast.Tell us about the recipe that has been handed down through generations in the form below
Alice Zaslavsky’s recipe for garlic red peppers with a creamy white bean dip, AKA papula
This week, I’ve been putting the finishing touches on an interview I recorded with legendary Australian cheesemaker Richard Thomas, the inventor of an ingredient you may not even realise is Australian: marinated feta, AKA “Persian fetta”. An unexpected stop on a trip to Iran in the 1970s gifted Thomas a chance meeting with a Persian doctor and his breakfast: fresh labneh with soft, still-warm lavash. It was a revelation. On his return, Thomas got to work creating a fresh cheese from goat’s milk (similar to chèvre) and from cow’s milk, marinated and preserved in oil, with an extra “t” to avert confusion with the Greek-style feta, that’s still being utilised by cooks and chefs right across the world.Persian fetta is a shapeshifter, capable of remaining both firm and steadfast when crumbled across the top of a platter or salad, and of yielding to a soft, velvety cream, enhancing all manner of dishes from pasta to pesto to whipped dips and schmears – and, of course, as a topping for that Aussie cafe staple, avocado toast
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