Tunnel Tussle Mars England Victory
A fiery confrontation has erupted off the pitch following England's narrow 27-23 victory over Argentina at Twickenham, with Pumas head coach Felipe Contepomi launching a stunning verbal attack on Tom Curry, labelling the England flanker a "bully".
The incident, which took place on Sunday, 23 November 2025, stems from a late tackle by Curry on Argentina's full-back, Juan Cruz Mallia.
The Tackle That Sparked the Fire
The flashpoint occurred in the 75th minute of the hard-fought Test match. Curry's challenge on Mallia forced the Argentine player to leave the field with a suspected ACL knee injury, leaving his side to finish the game with only 14 men.
While the referee awarded a penalty for the tackle, the decision was not referred to the television match official. This incensed the Argentine camp, prompting Contepomi to leave the coach's box to protest the challenge vehemently.
At the final whistle, a large scuffle broke out between the two teams, and the animosity spilled over into the tunnel, setting the stage for the direct clash between Curry and the Argentina coach.
"He Gave Me a Little Smack": Contepomi's Allegations
Contepomi did not hold back in his post-match comments, providing a detailed account of the tunnel altercation. The 48-year-old accused the 27-year-old England star of physical contact and a lack of remorse.
"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," Contepomi stated. He explained that Curry had approached to greet another Argentine coach, but the situation escalated quickly.
"I said 'mate, you broke his knee', he said 'f*** off' and pushed me," Contepomi claimed. He expressed his dismay, adding, "After breaking someone’s knee you need to be at least humble enough and respectful to say sorry I did something wrong. But he went the opposite."
Contepomi concluded his powerful remarks by questioning the place of such behaviour in the sport, saying, "If we want bullies in this game, good on them. I know it’s rugby, but if we don’t look after each other in rugby, it could be dangerous."
Borthwick's Firm Defence of Curry's Character
In response to the serious allegations, England head coach Steve Borthwick mounted a strong defence of his player's integrity, though he admitted he did not witness the tunnel incident himself.
"Tom Curry’s character is impeccable. He’s a fantastic team man, a very respectful guy. His character is unquestionable," Borthwick asserted. He acknowledged awareness of an incident but sought to refocus attention on the match itself, describing it as a "tough, hard Test match where two teams really went at it."
Despite the off-field drama, the victory marked England's eleventh consecutive win and a clean sweep of their autumn internationals. Borthwick praised his team's resilience, calling it a "tough arm wrestle" and expressing excitement about the squad's developing potential.
The fallout from this explosive tunnel bust-up now threatens to overshadow the on-field result, leaving a cloud over England's successful November campaign.
