Argentina’s head coach, Felipe Contepomi, labeled Tom Curry as a “bully” and accused the England flanker of pushing 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, resulting in Mallia leaving the field due to a suspected ACL knee injury and leaving Argentina with only 14 players for the remainder of the match.
Despite Curry’s challenge being penalized, it was not reviewed by the television match official. Contepomi intervened to protest the tackle, leading to a scuffle between the teams that escalated to the confrontation between Contepomi and Curry in the tunnel.
Contepomi expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, “Curry, let me say, it is probably part of his nature to bully people. He came into the tunnel and he gave me a little smack. He is 27, strong. I am 48.” Contepomi recounted the exchange, highlighting Curry’s response to his concerns about Mallia’s injury.
England’s head coach, Steve Borthwick, defended Curry’s character, describing him as a team player with impeccable character. Borthwick acknowledged the incident in the tunnel but emphasized that he was not present during the altercation and did not have detailed knowledge of the events.
England secured a clean sweep of victories this month, claiming their 11th consecutive win after overcoming Argentina’s late resurgence. Borthwick commended the team’s performance in a hard-fought Test match, emphasizing the ongoing development and potential for improvement within the squad.
