Bath Rugby centre Max Ojomoh has been called upon to start for England in one of the most pivotal matches of his career. Following Fraser Dingwall’s withdrawal due to a side strain, Ojomoh will partner veteran Henry Slade at inside centre for Sunday’s Quilter Nations Series finale against Argentina at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.
Head coach Steve Borthwick has faced a challenging midfield shake-up after injuries sidelined both Dingwall and Ollie Lawrence. Although Dingwall was initially expected to recover in time, he was unable to train midweek, prompting this unexpected change.
At 25 years old and earning just his second cap, Ojomoh carries a strong rugby pedigree as the son of former England back row player Steve Ojomoh. He steps into the inside centre role showcasing his elite attacking skills—his ball handling, vision, and off-the-ball movement have earned praise from England defence coach Richard Wigglesworth.
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“Max is an elite-level attacker in terms of his ball movement, vision, and how he connects on the run,” Wigglesworth said. “He’s improved his off-ball movement and defensive game steadily, and we expect him to bring a real threat to our midfield this Sunday. He’s proven himself regularly for Bath and has been knocking on the door of this squad for some time. Now he’s ready to take the next step.”
England captain Maro Itoje describes Ojomoh as “cool, calm, and collected” with a distinctive swagger both on and off the pitch. The two share Nigerian heritage, and interestingly, Steve Ojomoh once reached out to Itoje, asking him to encourage Max to focus on his education as well as rugby. True to that advice, Max has earned a business degree from the University of Bath.
England’s midfield has been heavily disrupted throughout 2025, with Ojomoh and Slade forming the seventh centre partnership of the year. Alongside this, injuries to key players such as Ollie Chessum and Tommy Freeman have tested the squad’s depth. Despite these challenges, the coaching staff remain optimistic.
“That’s sport—it’s a good challenge for us,” Wigglesworth reflected. “The number of changes and injuries aren’t something you can really plan for, but it creates opportunities for players like Max to step up.”
As England prepare to close their autumn campaign against Argentina, Max Ojomoh’s selection signals a vote of confidence in his ability to perform on rugby’s grandest stage.