Luke Humphries follows Luke Littler in hitting back at former World Darts champion after ‘let country down' jibe
GOT THE HUMP Luke Humphries follows Luke Littler in hitting back at former World Darts champion after 'let country down' jibe
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
LUKE HUMPHRIES has followed the lead of Luke Littler and hit back at Dennis Priestley's explosive claims that the pair 'let their country down' following an early World Cup exit.
Two-time world champion Priestley, 74, slammed world No.1 Humphries and reigning world champion Littler for losing in the second round to hosts Germany last weekend.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
2
Luke Littler and Luke Humphries crashed out the World Cup in their first match
Credit: X @SkySportsDarts
2
Dennis Priestley said the pair 'let their country down'
Credit: PA:Empics Sport
It was their first appearance together in the team format but disappointingly the pair were beaten 8-4 by Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko amid a cacophony of boos from the Frankfurt crowd.
The English duo were red-hot favourites to claim the title heading into the event.
But Wales star Gerwyn Price said that the two Lukes did not arrive together nor spend enough time in each other's company – and essentially failed to gel behind the scenes.
That shock defeat came the day after it was announced the two Englishman – the top two on the world rankings – were going to receive recognition in the King's Birthday Honours List.
READ MORE IN DARTS
GOTTA HAVE FAITH Luke Littler, 18, takes next step with new girlfriend Faith
Straight-talking Yorkshireman Priestley also said in his chat with bookmakers OLBG that neither player had 'done enough to earn their MBEs just yet'.
Cool Hand Luke, 30, lifted the World Cup crown with Michael Smith in 2024 and has vowed to return next year with The Nuke by his side.
The former world champion said on his social media account: 'Disappointing to hear a top former pro who I admired say such a damaging thing to me and Luke.
'I didn't let my country down last year though, did I?
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS
'One bad game for us and we will back next year to go again. Let's move on now.'
On Thursday, Littler screenshotted an article that contained the quotes and captioned it up as saying: 'Don't deserve an MBE but done more in 12 months than he ever did…
Being made an MBE shows I've helped 'change face of darts' says Luke Humphries
'That's what I would say anyway.'
That message was later deleted off his Instagram Stories.
Littler is the most recognisable figure in the sport and his Instagram account mushroomed to 1.9 million followers shortly after he burst on to the scene in December 2023.
His next appearance on the oche will be at the bet365 US Darts Masters, which will be held on June 27-28 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Sweet moment King Charles kisses Sarah Ferguson's hand at Ascot as royals step out in force on day 4 at racecourse
OUT IN FORCE OUT IN FORCE Sweet moment King Charles kisses Sarah Ferguson's hand at Ascot as royals step out in force on day 4 at racecourse Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) KING Charles was seen kissing Sarah Ferguson's hand in a touching moment at Royal Ascot today. The monarch was seen greeting the Duchess of York, along with daughter Eugenie on day four at the racecourse this afternoon. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 King Charles seen kissing Fergie's hand at Ascot today Credit: James Whatling 2 King Charles and Queen Camilla were seen talking to Sarah's daughter, Princess Eugenie Credit: PA Earlier in the day, Zara Tindall and Princess Eugenie were seen sharing a warm embrace. King Charles was later seen talking to the family during day four of the races. Sarah is an outspoken philanthropist, and has appeared at various royal events in recent years, despite divorcing Prince Andrew in 1996. The pair have two children together - Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. It comes after the King suffered a streak of bad horseracing luck on day one of the event. The family horse, Reaching High, suffered a 'stinker' in the closing stages under jockey Ryan Moore. Meanwhile, his horse, Rainbows Edge, was smashed into a 7-2 favourite for the Kensington Palace Stakes. Earlier this week, Princess Kate pulled out of the event in a last minute decision as she adjusts to her royal duties.
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Botafogo striker Igor Jesus is modern Didier Drogba who scored winner v PSG and will be at Nottingham Forest next season
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IN the space of the current decade, Botafogo of Rio have gone from Brazil's second division, to reigning national and South American champions, to unlikely conquerors of Paris Saint Germain. The extraordinary rise has been bankrolled by US businessman John Textor, who also owns Lyon in France and is trying to sell his stake in Crystal Palace. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 11 Igor Jesus scored the only goal as Botafogo beat PSG Credit: Getty 11 Nottingham Forest will be delighted they got him before the Club World Cup Credit: Getty 11 The forward has already been playing and scoring for Brazil ahead of his move to the Premier League Credit: AFP But the Botafogo story is now just a tale of the chequebook. It is also about wonderful work by the scouting department - exemplified by the case of centre forward Igor Jesus. The Brazil international scored the only goal as Botafogo shocked PSG with a 1-0 win and joins Nottingham Forest after the Club World Cup. The 24-year-old began his professional career with Coritiba in the south of Brazil, where he showed promise but not much more. And then he found his way to Shabab Al Alhi in the Arab Emirates. This took him off the radar screen of most people - but not Botafogo. He did well in his new surroundings, and even had an offer to take on local citizenship and play for the national team. He declined, declaring that he was prepared to wait for an opportunity to play for Brazil. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK It seemed a fanciful dream but Botafogo were watching and signed him on a free when his contract ran out. They brought him back to Brazil where he was unknown but they unleashed him in July of last year. Watch Lionel Messi's incredible Club World Cup free-kick for Inter Miami as fans say he's 'from another planet' And by September he was playing and scoring for Brazil in World Cup qualification. Amid the recent turmoil of the Brazilian national team he soon lost his place. But he will be back - especially because he gave new coach Carlo Ancelotti a powerful demonstration of his merits. Ancelotti arrived to coach Brazil at the end of May. The next day he called up his first squad - without Igor Jesus. 11 Igor already has two goals in the ongoing Club World Cup Credit: AFP 11 He is regarded as one of the hottest strikers in South America at the moment Credit: Getty And the day after he was in Botafogo's stadium for a crunch game in the Copa Libertadores, South America's Champions League. Botafogo had to win to stay in the competition and defend the title they won last year. They were up against Universidad de Chile who found themselves a man up early in the match. Nottingham Forest's other signing, gangling centre back Jair Cunha, launched himself into a bad tackle and was sent off. Botafogo had to win the game with ten men - and Igor Jesus ensured that they did. Textor has described him as the perfect centre forward. He has a strong physical presence, he can hold the ball up and shrug off defenders. 11 The Brazilian already has a trademark celebration which Forest fans will love Credit: Getty 11 He loves to go to the fans after he scores a goal Credit: Reuters He is quick and mobile, able to work the channels and he has an extraordinary spirit of sacrifice. In the final of last year's Libertadores against fellow Brazilians Atletico MIneiro, Botafogo had a man sent off in the first thirty seconds. Igor Jesus had to dedicate himself to being the first line of defence, and carried out the task tirelessly. In this game against Universidad de Chile he had to be the first line of defence and the cutting edge of the attack - Botafogo had to win. Every time he got on the ball he was a nightmare for the Chilean defenders and he scored the goal that takes his side through to the knock out phase. Against PSG he had to go through his repertoire against much better defenders. 11 He dominated the PSG backline all game Credit: AP 11 He's been compared to former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba Credit: Reuters And he worried Lucas Beraldo and William Pacho all through the game, giving options for the besieged Botafogo defenders to clear their lines, combining with his midfielders, and charging towards Gianluigi Donnarumma to score - with the help of a deflection - the only goal in a famous victory. Textor appeared after the match to thank Igor Jesus by pretending to polish his boot. Igor Jesus is looking increasingly like a modern day version of Didier Drogba - a one man forward line capable of performing every function a striker needs to do and able to take on entire defences all on his own. His performance would not have been enough to secure victory without the splendid disciplined defending of his team-mates in which Jair Cunha played the game of his life. The 20-year-old was signed at the start of the season after helping Santos win promotion back to the top flight last year. 11 Forest fans will be delighted with the signing they've made Credit: AP 11 He's got the making of a modern day centre forward who can do it all Credit: Getty Injuries meant that he has been thrown in at the deep end and it has not always been easy. He can struggle for balance and though he scored with a towering header in the opening game against Seattle Sounders, he had plenty of defensive problems. But he rose to the challenge in fine style against PSG. He was well protected, and able to spend the game defending in reduced space. But he kept his head well under pressure and made Forest fans hope that Igor Jesus will not be the only Brazilian signing making an impact next season at the City Ground.
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Shaun Edwards' true feelings on Andy Farrell as he ordered boss to make decision
Shaun Edwards' true feelings on Andy Farrell as he ordered boss to make decision Edwards and Lions head coach Farrell were team-mates in their playing days before becoming two of the best rugby union coaches in the world Andy Farrell, the Lions head coach (Image: 2025 Getty Images ) When Andy Farrell leads the Lions in Australia this summer he will hope for fewer obstacles than his experience three decades ago when he was thrust into a leadership role on a very different Lions tour. At just 21, Farrell was part of what is regarded as one of the most disastrous rugby tours ever embarked upon when he captained Great Britain Lions rugby league team in Papua New Guinea, Fiji and New Zealand. Even for such a precocious talent, the fact that Farrell was captaining the side was an indication of the challenges facing the side before they even left English shores. Set against the backdrop of a rugby league civil war, proposed mergers and the imminent professionalisation of rugby union, meant that a host of experienced internationals were forced to withdraw from the squad. Then when the team arrived in Papua New Guinea, things did not get any better, with tour manager Phil Lowe dealing with personal issues and finance becoming a major issue for those on the ground. Phil Larder, who went on to be the mastermind of England's defence on their way to 2003 World Cup glory in union, was the head coach, and remembers how Farrell was able to rise above the many obstacles thrown the players' way. Article continues below He said: 'It was pretty difficult, we didn't realise how difficult it was until we landed in Papua New Guinea. That was our first stop, there were problems straightaway. We hadn't got any finance in the group to purchase water, so we had no water. 'So after four or five days, myself and half the squad were puking up and shitting all the time because we had this infection. 'We managed to get a reasonable result against PNG and by the time we hit Fiji, things had turned out a little bit better. But it was a major concern and some of the players were still struggling, they had lost quite a bit of weight.' Things got even worse when Maurice Lindsay, the chief executive of the Rugby Football League, brought home half of the squad early to cut costs, destroying the morale of those who remained. And yet Farrell, who was not initially named as captain, very quickly became the leader of this group. Watch the Lions rugby tour on Sky Sports This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more £35 Sky Get Sky Sports here Product Description Sky Sports is the exclusive broadcaster of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests and six warm-up matches available to enjoy with Sky's Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle. Larder added: 'Andy wasn't somebody who I had identified to be captain, but as the tour developed, it was obvious that he was the leader of the lads, he was the one that they all looked up to and he was playing exceptionally well, as well. He became my captain, that was how it happened. 'He, like me, and like Phil Lowe, found it very difficult. It wasn't easy for Lowey, because he had no money to play about with, it wasn't easy for me as head coach and it certainly wasn't easy for the players. And Faz just came through as a natural leader, not only on the pitch but outside as well. Everybody in the squad looked up to him. This was the reason I made him captain. 'The thing about Andy is he's got presence. If he walks into a room, he seems to attract people to him. Players latch onto that. 'I'd been to Papua New Guinea and Fiji and seen the boys train and play and seen how Andy bossed the show. It became an automatic choice to make him captain. 'For everybody, it was a completely miserable tour but particularly the second string who were forced to go home before the end of the tour. That broke everything up and the Test team were furious about it because their mates were in the other team. It was the most difficult job that I've had and the most difficult job for the players. But Andy was the one that seemed to be able to handle the situation better than most and the players looked up to him.' That should probably not have come as a surprise. After all, Farrell had been tipped as a massive talent from his early schoolboy days. Shaun Edwards' order to Wigan boss Shaun Edwards was one of the key figures at Wigan at the time, and told Lindsay, who was the Wigan chairman, that he had to do everything in his power to get Farrell onboard. The France defence coach recalls: 'Everybody was after him, he was potentially one of the best players ever. I thought it was absolutely vital that he signed for Wigan. I remember speaking to Maurice because I was a senior player by that stage. Whatever financial packet it took, we needed to give it to him because he was a special talent. Alan Tait of Leeds is tackled by Shaun Edwards and Andy Farrell of Wigan during a match in 1995 'He settled straight in, he is probably one of the most mature lads I've ever known at 17. He was physically mature and also mentally mature. He was playing in his first-ever final, Dean Bell was the captain of our team. They put Faz in with Dean Bell because they thought he would help support Andy with it being his first game at Wembley. 'The morning of the match, Faz was watching TV and Dean Bell was in the toilets being sick with nerves, so Faz went and had his arm around him saying 'Don't worry Deano, we'll batter these lot'. That sums him up, very confident, with a bit of humour about him and absolutely world class.' France defence coach Shaun Edwards (Image:) A 20-14 win over a Larder-coach Widnes duly ensued and Farrell has not looked back. Having achieved everything there was to achieve in league, he made the jump across to union in 2005, joining Saracens and quickly becoming a dual-code international. When injury forced him into retirement in 2009, he turned his hand to coaching, for Saracens and then under Stuart Lancaster with the England Saxons. Lancaster recalled: 'On a hunch, not really knowing Andy at all, I asked if he was interesting in helping me coach the Saxons through the Six Nations games and the Churchill Cup. 'We both got on very well straightaway. I needed someone to come in a coach the backs and run the defence. 'I think Andy enjoyed the responsibility of coaching the attack, the backs as well as the defence. There were only two of us so we basically did it all together. Not only was he very good on the defence, but he was also very good as a second set of eyes but also as a second presence. 'As a head coach, you are always looking for someone who could support you. Sometimes you can step back a bit and the other coach steps up, Andy was very good at that. He would bring energy at the right time and bring his presence to support me as the head coach.' That word presence is one that keeps coming up, and will no doubt be a big part of how he leads in Australia. Nearly 30 years from the absolute disaster of New Zealand, expect Farrell the head coach to enjoy a lot more success this time around. After all, as Edwards says: 'He's a proven winner.' Article continues below A Lions Rugby Club membership gives you access to a whole series of member-only benefits such as priority ticket access, live events, bespoke welcome pack, competitions, exclusive content, and much more. Find out more at
