Luke Littler has Luke Humphries backing as English stars target glory in Germany

North Wales Chronicle

2 days ago

The two rivals will join forces in the 15th edition of the PDC event, which gets under way in Frankfurt on Thursday.
Littler had previously claimed in April he would skip tournaments in Germany after being booed in Munich and Berlin that month, having faced similar treatment in September following defeat by Peter Wright in the German Championship final in Hildesheim.
Defending champions England have been unveiled as the 4/11 pre-tournament favourites for the @BetVictor World Cup of Darts ahead of the annual 40-nation event.
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) June 4, 2025
But Premier League champion Humphries, who clinched World Cup success with Michael Smith last June, said: 'It's just about not getting involved in the crowd isn't it?
'We've just got to make sure that if they're on his back, I'll be there to say, 'don't worry about what they're doing, focus on your game' and if we play against Germany that's going to be hard but I think he'll learn from the occasions of playing against crowds that are hostile.
'I've been there, I've had it a little bit before and you just have to focus on the game and not worry about what is going on behind you.'
Even though Littler has struggled with German crowds, Humphries plans to send the 18-year-old out to throw first when they begin their campaign in the second round on Saturday.
'I will probably put him first,' Humphries revealed.
'He is definitely the best scorer in the world. That's not a lie, it's obvious. So, you're going to put your strengths forward. You put him first, he is probably better at going for the bullseye than I am, getting the throws.
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'Yeah, only if he's comfortable with it. If not, I'll go first but I played the anchor role last year.
'I felt really good going second, so maybe that is my role for this year as well.'
Victory for Humphries and Smith at Eissporthalle last summer was England's first World Cup win since 2016.
It ensured Humphries enjoyed a triumphant World Cup debut and he is sure Littler will experience the same.
Humphries added: 'As you saw when we won, the emotion that comes out of you, you don't expect it but it does because you're just so buzzing.
'It's really special and he will understand. He may even feel a little bit nervous at the start, or for the first game we play because all eyes are on us, everyone will be expecting us to be powerful every game we play.
'But I did say to him, it doesn't matter how we play as long as we win the trophy, that's what really matters. It will be a special feeling for him, as it was for me.'