Gerwyn Price has said that England duo Luke Littler and Luke Humphries “didn’t show a team ethic” as they suffered a shock exit at the World Cup of Darts.
Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko produced an inspired display to topple England’s dream team in the second round on Saturday.
Schindler and Pietreczko – roared on by the German crowd – stormed to a sensational 8-4 victory over the world’s top two players to continue their bid for World Cup glory at the Eissporthalle.
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Highlights from England’s shock defeat to Germany in the second round
Humphries and Littler were the overwhelming pre-tournament favourites, but their highly-anticipated debut as a partnership culminated in a shock early exit.
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Wayne Mardle reflects on Germany’s win over England
Price reached the final alongside Jonny Clayton before suffering a dramatic 10-9 defeat to Northern Ireland in Frankfurt on Sunday.
Speaking after defeat, ‘The Iceman’ felt Littler and Humphries, who both received MBEs in the King’s Birthday Honours, did not show any team unity in the build-up to the event.
“I think you need to have a connection. You need to have that camaraderie off the stage and connection because when we all turned on the first day – and I’m not just saying this because they lost – but the only two players that didn’t turn up together, didn’t sit together, didn’t play as a team. I’m not saying who they are but they didn’t win their first game,” said the former world champion.
“You need to turn up together, you need to be as a team. You turn up as a team, you practice together, you sit together. It’s a team ethic and it didn’t show with England.
“It showed on the board. They’re great players individually but you need to be as a team.
“I wanted them to do well, but they didn’t. I’m not just saying that! I wanted them to do well, but they were rubbish.”
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Schindler said Germany ‘believed’ in themselves as they upset England
Schindler, who had insisted in advance that the English duo were “beatable”, told Sky Sports: “I was right because we believed in ourselves.
“We have been putting in a solid performance, and obviously the double 16s from Ricardo just went in, so we are very happy to go through.”
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Highlights of Northern Ireland’s dramatic win over Wales in the World Cup of Darts final
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Highlights of the World Matchplay final as Luke Humphries took on Michael van Gerwen
The highlight of the darting summer will see the Betfred World Matchplay held from July 19-27 at the Winter Gardens, as Luke Humphries bids to retain the coveted Phil Taylor Trophy, with world champion Luke Littler and three-time winner Michael van Gerwen also set to headline the £800,000 event across nine days.
Sunday July 27 will also feature the fourth staging of the Betfred Women’s World Matchplay, featuring eight players competing across one session – with Beau Greaves having won the 2023 and 2024 events.
Sky Sports will once again be the home of the World Cup of Darts, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and more! Stream darts and more top sport with NOW
