Argentina's rugby union has launched an official complaint against England flanker Tom Curry following a dramatic post-match incident in the tunnel at Twickenham Stadium. The controversy erupted after England's narrow 27-23 victory in Sunday's Autumn Nations Series clash, with Argentine head coach Felipe Contepomi accusing Curry of bullying behaviour.
Tunnel Confrontation Sparks Official Complaint
In an extraordinary post-match press conference, Felipe Contepomi detailed an alleged physical confrontation with Curry in the stadium tunnel. The 48-year-old coach claimed the England forward shoved him in the chest and told him to "fuck off" when Argentine staff confronted him about a first-half tackle that left fullback Juan Cruz Mallia with a torn ACL in his right knee.
"He came off in the tunnel and he gave me a little smack," Contepomi stated. "I'm 48. [It was] not a smack, a push, a hit here on the chest. So maybe it is his nature. He is strong and I am 48 and he comes and just shoves me."
Serious Injury Fuels Tensions
The bad blood between the teams originated from Curry's tackle on Juan Cruz Mallia during the match, for which the England player was penalised. Medical scans confirmed the Argentine fullback suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, effectively ending his playing season.
Contepomi described the challenge as "reckless" and expressed frustration at Curry's reaction after the match. "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 [way]," the coach said. "Maybe it is his way of being a bully. If we want bullies in this game, good on them."
England's Defence and Disciplinary Process
England head coach Steve Borthwick immediately came to his player's defence, describing Curry's character as "impeccable" and "unquestionable." Borthwick acknowledged he was unaware of the tunnel incident but noted that emotions frequently run high after intense Test matches.
The incident places Curry under scrutiny once again, following his racial abuse allegation against South Africa's Bongi Mbonambi during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which World Rugby later dismissed after investigation.
Tournament organisers Six Nations have opened a 24-hour citing window to consider disciplinary action against Curry for both the tackle on Mallia and the alleged tunnel altercation. Argentina have urged a full investigation into both incidents as tensions continue following England's autumn clean sweep of victories.
