**England’s Darts Dream Dashed: Gerwyn Price Offers Blunt Verdict on World Cup Exit**
Wales’ darts star Gerwyn Price has delivered a frank assessment of England’s shock exit from the World Cup of Darts, pinpointing a lack of team cohesion as the underlying reason behind the early departure of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries. The English pair, both regarded as elite talents and widely tipped for tournament glory, failed to reach expectations, suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of Germany in the competition’s second knockout round.
While the Welsh pairing of Price and Jonny Clayton soared through the ranks with an impressive campaign — dispatching challengers from the Philippines, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands — their journey ended in heartbreak with a nailbiting 10-9 loss to Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney and Josh Rock in the final. Still, for Price, there was a sense of pride in Wales’ display, made even sharper by the contrasting fortunes of their English rivals.
Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, who currently occupy the top two positions in the world rankings, entered the World Cup with a weight of expectation upon their shoulders. However, in a result that stunned fans and pundits alike, the English team slumped to an 8-4 loss against Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko of Germany. It was the first time Littler and Humphries played as partners at this level, with the teenage Littler making his World Cup debut.
Price, a former world champion himself, did not shy away from voicing his opinion on what he perceived as the real reason for the pair’s defeat. Speaking candidly, he pointed to a missing sense of unity. “You need to have a connection,” Price told reporters. “There’s got to be a camaraderie off the stage as well as on it. When the tournament started, they were the only two players who didn’t arrive together, didn’t sit together, and didn’t really act as a team.”
According to Price, successful teams bring an energy and solidarity that helps them weather the pressure of high-stakes competition. He suggested this element was lacking from the English camp. “You need to turn up together, practice alongside one another, and demonstrate that team ethic. For England, it just wasn’t there. You could see it on the board. They’re fantastic individually, but they didn’t play as a team,” he added.
Despite personal friendships between Littler and Humphries — both of whom have recently received MBEs in recognition of their services to darts — Price’s observations suggest that working in tandem behind the scenes is just as important as technical ability on the oche. “I wanted them to do well, I really did,” Price insisted. “But you can’t ignore the outcome. In this tournament, they were rubbish.”
In the aftermath of England’s defeat, Germany’s Schindler expressed confidence in their approach. “We believed they were beatable,” he commented to Sky Sports. Schindler credited his and Pietreczko’s self-belief and solid performances for their unexpected victory, highlighting the importance of both mental resilience and partnership in doubles competition.
Price’s remarks will likely fuel debate in the darts community about the chemistry required for team success in a sport often dominated by solo performances. While English fans will be left reflecting on what might have been, Wales’ run to the final offered a contrasting tale of teamwork and mutual support.
Ultimately, the outcome serves as a reminder that in the world of darts — as with many sports — it is not only skill but also camaraderie and unity that can spell the difference between victory and defeat. For England’s top duo, the experience is sure to be an instructive one, as they look to regroup and return stronger in future tournaments.