The heated end to the match between England and the Pumas was moved to the off-field. Grabbing and jostling between players as a result of an incident that angered the Argentines: Intervention at the wrong time By Tom Curry on Juan Cruz Mallia, who was taken off the field with a knee injury and left the Pumas with 14 men in the final minutes. But it didn’t stop there. In a press conference, Felipe Contepomi accused the third line of hitting him In the tunnel after the English’s 27-23 win, at Twickenham, in the final Test of 2025.
The coach complained when an English journalist asked him about the tackle on Malia. “A little late? Well, two weeks ago they decided that a penalty would be taken into account, so if that’s the norm, I don’t understand why we have to play the rest of the game with 14 men after a ‘slightly late’ tackle as you describe it.” I would call it recklessContepomi, who hinted at action against Wales two weeks ago, said: “Ben Thomas was only punished with a yellow card because the back heel he hit against Matera did not hit him in the face. We ended up playing with 14 players and they didn’t even review it,” the coach said.
England were only punished with a penalty for Carey’s challenge. A precise decision by Frenchman Pierre Brosset. The hit was ill-timed, but it didn’t hit the neck or head, and the third lineman closed his arms. This type of image should not be analyzed in slow motion, but in real time and the referee’s judgment was appropriate, apart from the misfortune of Malia who limped off and during the week studies will be carried out in Toulouse to find out the severity of the knee injury.
Controversy arose after 80 minutes. After some clashes and clashes between players, the crosses continued into the tunnel, according to Contepomi’s testimony: “It was not just tackles from Curry, because perhaps it is in his nature to scare people; He entered the tunnel, pushed me in the chest and slapped me.“, criticized the coach. “Maybe it’s part of their nature, I don’t know, but these are the people we reward and praise; “Maybe that’s where they want rugby to go,” he said sarcastically.
The Pumas coach, who lost all three matches of the season to England, described this incident. “I was standing there and he came and went to say hello to one of our coaches, and we said no because we were upset. He was reckless and broke our player’s knee. I know it’s part of rugby, but if we don’t take care of ourselves it can be dangerous. “He said, ‘Fuck you,’ and he pushed me like that… Maybe it was, I don’t know.”
Contepomi reiterated his anger at Curry, who… He already had a controversial episode against the Pumas: In the first round of 2023 World Cup in France in Marseille, he was sent off for a high tacklespecifically before Malia: “How old is he? 27, I’m 48. Fortunately, there might be cameras, so maybe they can see there was no incident. Richard Hill (England coach) was there, so they can ask him.”
La Rosa’s coach, Steve Borthwick, ignored the situation. “Obviously I know there was an incident, but I didn’t see it, I wasn’t there, I was in the locker room at the time,” the former second-rower commented. “Anyway, I wouldn’t want that to be the center of attention after a tough and tough test match in which the two teams battled it out all afternoon.”
Carey made his England debut against the Pumas in 2017At just 18 years old, he was quickly becoming a prominent figure in English rugby. They are named with Sam Underhill Kamikaze kids During the 2019 World Cup in Japan, where they left Argentina in the group stage and ended up reaching the final of the tournament. Carey has been called up to the British and Irish Lions for tours of South Africa (2021) and Australia (2025). Borthwick added: “I think anyone who has been in contact with Tom Curry knows that his character is impeccable. He is a great teammate, a very respectable person. I think his character is beyond doubt.”
The Pumas finished 2025 on a good note and with positive signsAlthough there is still a long way to go before the 2027 World Cup in Australia. They will meet again against England in Argentina on July 18 next year in the New Nations Championship, and the location of the match has not yet been determined. That will be another story.