Argentina’s head coach, Felipe Contepomi, labeled Tom Curry as a “bully” and accused the England flanker of pushing him in an altercation in the tunnel following the 27-23 defeat at Allianz Stadium. The Pumas were angered by Curry’s tackle on Juan Cruz Mallia, resulting in Mallia leaving the field with a suspected ACL knee injury and leaving Argentina with 14 men for the remainder of the match. Despite a penalty for Curry’s challenge, it was not reviewed by the television match official. Contepomi intervened to protest the tackle, leading to a scuffle between the teams that culminated in the confrontation with Curry.
Contepomi criticized Curry’s behavior, 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 further expressed disappointment in Curry’s lack of remorse for the injury caused to their player, emphasizing the need for respect and humility in such situations.
In response, England’s head coach, Steve Borthwick, defended Curry’s character, describing him as a respectful and valuable team member. Borthwick, while acknowledging an incident occurred in the tunnel, emphasized that the focus should remain on the competitive Test match between the two teams.
England secured their 11th victory by overcoming Argentina’s late resurgence, concluding a successful month of matches. Borthwick praised the team’s performance, highlighting their development and potential for future improvement.