Argentina have lodged a formal complaint with Six Nations Rugby over an alleged tunnel altercation between England flanker Tom Curry and Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi. The incident occurred after England's 27-23 victory on Sunday, with Contepomi accusing Curry of shoving him and telling him to 'fuck off'.
Six Nations Rugby has asked England to provide CCTV footage and a formal statement before deciding whether to begin disciplinary proceedings. The Rugby Football Union is also expected to submit any additional video evidence. Contepomi described Curry as a 'bully' and claimed the player had 'broken' the knee of Argentina full-back Juan Cruz Mallía with a reckless tackle in the 75th minute.
On Monday, Argentina confirmed that Mallía has suffered a traumatic torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee as a result of the tackle. Contepomi said: 'It is part of his nature to bully people. But he came off in the tunnel and he gave me a little smack ... a push, a hit here on the chest.' He added: 'If we want bullies in this game, good on them.'
England head coach Steve Borthwick defended Curry, saying: 'His character is impeccable. He's a fantastic team man, a very respectful guy.' Borthwick said he was unaware of the tunnel incident but noted that emotions run high after matches. England have not publicly addressed the fracas.
