Tempers Flare After England's Narrow Victory Over Argentina
Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi has made sensational allegations against England flanker Tom Curry, accusing him of a physical confrontation in the tunnel following England's 27-23 victory at Twickenham on Sunday 23 November 2025.
The controversy erupted after the final whistle when Curry became involved in a scuffle between players from both sides. The incident followed a late tackle by the 27-year-old England player on Argentine full-back Juan Cruz Mallia that forced the latter's withdrawal with a suspected torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Contepomi's Explosive Allegations
Speaking after the match, Contepomi described Curry's tackle as "reckless" before revealing details of the alleged tunnel incident. The 48-year-old Argentine coach claimed Curry physically confronted him after the game.
"It is probably part of his nature to bully people," Contepomi stated. "He came off down the tunnel and he gave me a little smack. I'm 48. Not a smack – a push, a hit here on the chest."
The Argentina head coach suggested the alleged behaviour reflected poorly on the sport, questioning whether "those are the guys we are rewarding and praise" in modern rugby.
The Tunnel Confrontation Details
Contepomi provided a detailed account of the alleged altercation, explaining that Curry had approached Argentine coaching staff in the tunnel. "I was standing there and he was coming and wanted to say hi to one of our coaches, but we said no because we were upset," the coach revealed.
According to Contepomi, the exchange turned confrontational when he confronted Curry about the tackle that injured Mallia. "He was reckless and broke our player's knee. I know it is rugby but if we don't look after each other in rugby it could be dangerous," Contepomi stated.
The Argentine coach claimed Curry responded with expletives before pushing him. "He said 'f*ck off' and pushed me like that. Maybe that is the way he is, I don't know him," Contepomi alleged.
Call for Humility and Respect
Contepomi expressed particular disappointment with what he perceived as Curry's lack of remorse following the serious injury to Mallia. "I am not happy with the situation, after breaking someone's knee I think you need to be at least humble enough and respectful to say 'sorry I did something wrong' but he went the opposite," the coach commented.
The Argentine staff have suggested that security cameras in the tunnel area would support their version of events. Contepomi also mentioned that England team manager Richard Hill was present during the incident.
Despite the controversy, England secured their 11th consecutive victory, maintaining an unbeaten home record for the year. The tunnel incident allegations, however, have cast a shadow over what was already a hard-fought contest between the two rugby nations.
