Argentina’s head coach, Felipe Contepomi, labeled Tom Curry as a “bully” and claimed that the England flanker pushed him during a heated altercation in the tunnel following Sunday’s 27-23 defeat at Allianz Stadium.
The Pumas were angered by Curry’s tackle on Juan Cruz Mallia in the 75th minute, which led to Mallia exiting the field with a suspected ACL knee injury, leaving Argentina with a player short for the remainder of the match.
Although Curry’s tackle resulted in a penalty, it was not reviewed by the television match official. Contepomi intervened to protest the challenge, leading to a brawl between the teams that culminated in the confrontation between Contepomi and Curry.
Contepomi criticized Curry, suggesting that bullying might be inherent to his nature. Recounting the incident, Contepomi mentioned Curry’s dismissive response after being confronted about Mallia’s injury, highlighting a lack of remorse from the England player.
England’s coach, Steve Borthwick, defended Curry’s character, emphasizing his respectfulness and team spirit. Borthwick distanced himself from the tunnel incident, stating he was unaware of the specifics as he was in the changing room at the time.
England secured their 11th consecutive victory by overcoming Argentina in a closely fought match. Borthwick commended his team’s resilience and acknowledged the tough challenge posed by Argentina, expressing optimism about the team’s ongoing development.