The first Rugby World Cup red card goes to England. No surprise

By The Associated Press
England's Tom Curry, center left, clashes heads with Argentina's Juan Cruz Mallia, for which he got a red card, during the Rugby World Cup Pool D match between England and Argentina in the Stade de Marseille, Marseille, France Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Daniel Cole]

MARSEILLE, France (AP) — The first red card of the Rugby World Cup has been issued to England. No surprise there. Flanker Tom Curry was sent off less than three minutes into the pool match against Argentina in Marseille. He was too upright tackling Pumas fullback Juan Cruz Mallia, who was coming down from a leaping catch. They collided heads, and referee Mathieu Raynal initially yellow-carded Curry. But the yellow was upgraded to red after a bunker review because Curry had clear line of sight on Mallia and no mitigation. Curry became the first England player to be sent off at a men’s World Cup, and the fourth England player to be red-carded this year.

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