Argentina boss Felipe Contepomi labelled Tom Curry a bully and accused the flanker of pushing him in the tunnel after England’s fiery 27-23 win. Contepomi also claimed Curry had sworn at him and said full-back Juan Cruz Mallia had a suspected knee ligament injury as a result of the Englishman’s late challenge. The former Puma fly-half, who is a qualified doctor, was livid with the tackle, which left his side a man down chasing the game.

The 48-year-old said: “He went to say hi to one of our coaches, and I said no, we were upset, he was reckless and he broke our player’s knee. He said ‘f*** off’ and gave me a shove. I’m not happy with the situation. After breaking someone’s knee you need to be humble enough to say sorry, you did something wrong. But he went the opposite way – maybe it’s in his nature to be a bully. Maybe that is the way he is, I don’t know him. I am not happy with the situation. He’s strong, 27, I’m 48.

England boss Steve Borthwick predictably defended his man but was not witness to the alleged fracas. Borthwick said: “Clearly, I am aware there was an incident. I was in the dressing room at the time but I wouldn’t want that to be the centre of attention. Anyone who has had any contact with Tom Curry knows his character is impeccable.”

Centre Henry Slade added: “He is the furthest thing from a bully I have ever seen. He’s a very tough guy but I wouldn’t say he’s anywhere near being a bully at all. I don’t know, I didn’t see anything. But surely that’s very unlike Tom. I’m sure there is no malice in it. I’m sure there’ll be nothing in that.”

Max Ojomoh provided the spark as England made it 11 on the spin but sparks were flying in the tunnel at the end of a brutal Test match. Back rowers Curry and Henry Pollock and Puma back row Santiago Grondona and scrum-half Simon Benitez-Cruz were involved in some argy-bargy at the final whistle as tempers boiled over.

Argentina were fuming they had to finish the game with 14 men after a huge, slightly late, hit from Curry had put full-back Cruz Mallia out of the match with four minutes left and the game in the balance. Argentina had used all their replacements up by then and were left a man down as they pushed for a repeat of their wins here in 2006 and 2022 but England held out.

Curry, sent off in a World Cup clash against the Pumas in 2023, escaped a card and Argentina boss Contepomi ran down from the coaches’ box to have his say. Sale man Curry disappeared down the tunnel quickly but there was more aggro there and was followed by skipper Maro Itoje who appeared to be acting as peacemaker.

When the dust settled it was another win for England, who have lost once out of 12 this year and that was to Ireland in February. And it was a win against the sixth-ranked side in the world who have beaten the Lions, New Zealand and Australia this year and are no one’s idea of mugs.

But it was a win that England had to fight for and one that they might not have got over the line this time last year. Ojomoh, winning his second cap after a debut in Washington against the USA in July, scored a try and had a hand in England’s two others as he provided another selection headache for boss Steve Borthwick.

The 25-year-old centre, son for former England back row Steve, only knew he was playing on Friday when Fraser Dingwall pulled out but looked to the manor born. England led 17-3 at half-time and it would have been more but Luke Cowan-Dickie had a score chalked off when he dropped the ball over the line before the break.

Ojomoh, on his first Twickenham start, had gathered a loose ball to sprint home from 40 metres then turned provider with a cross kick that gave Immanuel Feyi-Waboso a run-in. But the Pumas have been behind the eight ball before this autumn, last week in Scotland when the won from 21-0 behind.

And 25 years to the week since England’s players threatened strike action, ahead of a game against Los Pumas, the hosts downed tools in the third quarter. The Argentineans scored 16 unanswered points, from just before the break, then Ojomoh’s magical offload to Henry Slade on 66 minutes gave England a six-point lead.

George Ford’s penalty increased that but Harlequins wing Rodrigo Isgro went over at the death, with Alex Coles in the bin, and England were hanging on. Then replacement Charlie Ewels grabbed a loose ball at a line out before the sparks really started flying.