Argentina’s head coach, Felipe Contepomi, labeled Tom Curry as a “bully” and alleged that the England flanker shoved 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 in the 75th minute, resulting in Mallia leaving the field with a suspected ACL knee injury, leaving Argentina with 14 players for the remainder of the match.

Although Curry’s challenge led to a penalty, it was not reviewed by the television match official. Contepomi intervened to protest the tackle, which escalated into a brawl between the teams and culminated in the altercation between Contepomi and Curry.

Contepomi stated, “Curry, it seems, has a tendency to bully people. Despite being 27 and strong, he pushed me in the tunnel while I stood there. I confronted him about breaking our player’s knee, but he responded disrespectfully.”

He added, “After causing such an injury, one should have the humility to apologize. However, he did the opposite. If we condone bullies in rugby, it could pose risks.”

In defense of Curry, England’s head coach, Steve Borthwick, vouched for Curry’s character, emphasizing his respectfulness and team spirit. Borthwick acknowledged the tunnel incident but preferred not to dwell on it, focusing instead on the hard-fought victory against Argentina.

England secured their 11th win in a row, completing a successful month with a gritty performance against Argentina. Borthwick commended the team’s progress and acknowledged the need for continuous improvement moving forward.