Argentina’s head coach, Felipe Contepomi, criticized England’s Tom Curry, labeling him a “bully” and alleging that Curry pushed him during a heated confrontation 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 game with a suspected ACL knee injury and left Argentina playing with 14 men for the remainder of the match.

Although Curry’s challenge resulted in a penalty, it was not reviewed by the television match official. Contepomi left his coaching box to protest the tackle, and a large altercation broke out between the teams at the final whistle, culminating in the confrontation between Contepomi and Curry in the tunnel.

Contepomi expressed his displeasure, 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 encounter, noting that he confronted Curry about the injury to Mallia, to which Curry responded abrasively and pushed him, further aggravating the situation.

England’s head coach, Steve Borthwick, defended Curry’s character, emphasizing his positive traits and professionalism. Borthwick clarified that he was not present during the tunnel incident and refrained from elaborating on the details.

Following the win, England secured their 11th consecutive victory, completing a successful month of matches. Borthwick praised his team’s performance, describing the match as a tough battle against a resilient Argentina side and expressing optimism about the team’s ongoing development and potential for the future.