Argentina has taken the extraordinary step of lodging an official complaint against England flanker Tom Curry following Sunday's heated 27-23 victory for England at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium.
Tunnel Confrontation Sparks Diplomatic Row
In a dramatic post-match development, Argentina's head coach Felipe Contepomi accused Curry of being a 'bully' following an alleged physical confrontation in the stadium tunnel. Contepomi claimed the England player shoved him in the chest and told him to 'fuck off' as tensions spilled over from the pitch.
The bad blood apparently originated from a first-half tackle where Curry's challenge on Argentine fullback Juan Cruz Mallia resulted in the player being replaced due to injury. Medical scans have since confirmed Mallia has torn the ACL in his right knee, effectively ending his playing season.
Coaching Staff Outrage Over 'Reckless' Challenge
Contepomi didn't hold back during an emotional press conference, describing Curry's tackle as 'reckless' and accusing him of showing no remorse for the serious injury. 'He was reckless and broke our player's knee,' Contepomi stated. 'After breaking someone's knee, you need to be at least humble enough and respectful to say sorry.'
The Argentina coach detailed the tunnel incident, explaining: 'He came off in the tunnel and he gave me a little smack. I'm 48. [It was] not a smack, a push, a hit here on the chest. So maybe it is his nature.'
England Management Rushes to Curry's Defence
England head coach Steve Borthwick immediately came to his player's defence, describing Curry's character as 'impeccable' and 'unquestionable'. 'Anybody in this room who has had any contact with Tom Curry knows there's a character of a man,' Borthwick told reporters.
This isn't the first time Curry has found himself at the centre of controversy. During the 2023 Rugby World Cup, he accused South Africa's Bongi Mbonambi of racial abuse, though World Rugby later cleared the hooker following an investigation.
The Six Nations organisers, who run the Autumn Nations Series, now face pressure to investigate both the tackle and the tunnel incident. There's a 24-hour citing window for disciplinary action regarding the on-field challenge, while the tunnel altercation could also face separate proceedings.
Argentina players had already surrounded Curry on the pitch after the final whistle, showing their anger about the challenge that saw the England flanker penalised during the match. The situation then escalated dramatically as both teams headed for the dressing rooms.
