Felipe Contepomi Walks Out of Press Conference After Clash with South African Journalist

Argentina’s head coach Felipe Contepomi stormed out of a press conference after a heated exchange with a South African journalist. The confrontation followed Argentina’s 48-7 defeat to the Springboks in Mbombela on Saturday. Contepomi’s frustration stemmed from an accusation regarding his behaviour during the match, which he categorically denied.

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Contepomi Denies Allegation

During the post-match briefing, the Pumas coach was asked whether he had entered the referee’s changing room at half-time to express his dissatisfaction. Clearly irked, Contepomi immediately dismissed the claim, calling out the journalist’s source.

“Well, you heard wrong because I don’t know where the (referee’s) changing room is,” Contepomi stated, refuting the claim. “I didn’t go to the changing room at half-time. I don’t know where you got that from, but it is a bad thing to say because I never go to the changing room of a ref at half-time.”

Heated Exchange Over Source

The South African journalist did not reveal where the information had come from, merely stating that it came from a message received inside the stadium. Contepomi, visibly upset, did not pursue the source further but reiterated that the claim was entirely false. He pointed out that he only spoke to referee Ben O’Keeffe after the match, explaining their professional working relationship.

“I only talked to the referee after the game. I know Ben O’Keeffe very well and we chat, and I sent him the review. We are OK in terms of interchanging,” he clarified, before ending with a sharp rebuttal. “That’s a lie.”

Tense Ending to the Press Conference

Before storming out of the press conference, Contepomi made it clear that he was disappointed in the journalist’s line of questioning. He cautioned the reporter to verify his information in the future.

“I’m surprised that you got the bad information. You need to be careful because you’re a reporter. You need to check your information because that’s a lie. Sorry, for me, it’s the last question. We’re finished. Thank you.”

Contepomi’s exit brought an abrupt end to what was already a difficult evening for the Pumas, both on and off the field, as they wrapped up their Rugby Championship campaign on a sour note.