Argentina’s head coach, Felipe Contepomi, labeled Tom Curry as a “bully” and alleged that the England flanker pushed him during a heated confrontation in the tunnel following Sunday’s 27-23 loss at Allianz Stadium.
The Pumas were angered by Curry’s tackle on Juan Cruz Mallia, which led to Mallia’s exit due to a suspected ACL knee injury, leaving Argentina with 14 players for the remainder of the match.
Although Curry’s challenge resulted in a penalty, it was not reviewed by the television match official. Contepomi intervened to protest the tackle, triggering a brawl between the teams that escalated to the encounter between Contepomi and Curry.
Contepomi criticized Curry, stating, “It is probably part of his nature to bully people.” He recounted the incident in the tunnel where Curry allegedly pushed him after being confronted about Mallia’s injury.
England’s coach, Steve Borthwick, defended Curry’s character, describing him as a respectful and integral team member. Borthwick clarified that he was not present during the tunnel incident and preferred not to focus on it, emphasizing the intensity of the Test match between the two teams.
England secured a clean sweep of victories this month, claiming their 11th consecutive win after overcoming a late surge from Argentina. Borthwick commended the team’s performance, acknowledging the challenges faced and expressing optimism for future improvements and development within the squad.