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Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton (Picture: Kais Bodensieck/PDC Europe)

World Cup of Darts: Gerwyn Price insists winning pairs event with Jonny Clayton for Wales can only be topped by the World Championship

By Aaron Bower

Darts

Sat June 17, 2023 · 2y ago

The World Cup of Darts may be about to expand into its biggest and best iteration yet this weekend, but you would still do well to find a pairing anywhere in the world with such a strong connection both on and off the oche as Wales duo Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton.

The World Cup, which begins on Thursday evening, has been revamped like never before for 2023. There are now 40 nations taking part, a record high, and every match will be played in a pairs format, removing the singles matches that were a staple of the format in recent years. For some, that could be a disadvantage yet for close friends Price and Clayton, you feel it only further strengthens their position as the pre-tournament favourites.

The euphoric celebrations when they lifted the World Cup in 2020 underlined their chemistry on the oche. But they are just as close off it too, bonded by a pride in representing their nation and a determination to succeed for each other and their respective families. "We're two proud Welshmen and we want to make Wales really proud but more than that, I want to make Gezzy proud," Clayton tells Sporting Life.

"We've that bond on and off the stage, we're great friends, we have great banter and we'll do everything we can to bring that trophy home to Wales this weekend. He's one of my best friends, we have a great laugh and I think that shines through on stage. We're more relaxed on that stage together and we want to do right for each other."

Price admits the prospect of playing with a partner, a rarity in the PDC darting calendar, as well as for his nation, brings with it added pressure: but pressure he believes brings the best out of him. "That's why there's more pressure, I want to do right by him and the whole of Wales - and that spurs me on," the 2021 world champion admits.

ALSO READ: CHRIS HAMMER'S GROUP-BY-GROUP BETTING PREVIEW

Dirk van Duijvenbode and Danny Noppert (Picture: Kais Bodensieck/PDC Europe)

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"You need that stomach-turning pressure to bring the best out of you. I don't want to let Jonny down and I don't want to let the whole of Wales down. But I know if I do slip up, there's no better partner to have than Jonny Clayton. We get on well on the circuit, we're in each others' pockets week in, week out, but that's because we get on. We've not been forced together as a partnership. What you see is genuine."

As second seeds, Wales do not enter the World Cup until the second round gets under way on Saturday - but the duo have extra motivation to succeed in 2023. The Iceman cites Wales' 2020 World Cup triumph as the second-greatest moment of his career, surpassed only by winning the world crown at Alexandra Palace just a few months later.

Yet both those events were during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and as such, played in empty auditoriums behind closed doors. The atmosphere will be markedly different this weekend with a packed crowd in Frankfurt's Eissporthalle which will include both Price and Clayton's wives, giving them even more incentive to lift the World Cup for a second time.

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Wales and Australia are among the favourites (Picture: Kais Bodensieck/PDC Europe)

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO READ PAUL'S COLUMN

"I think it'd do me, Jonny and the whole of Wales justice if we can win it with a crowd and with both our partners here cheering us on this weekend," Price says, before Clayton laughs: "I think Gezzy broke about six of my ribs when he hugged me after we won in 2020! But I was happy for him to do it, I didn't care! We'd won for Wales and for each other. It's my favourite tournament I've won so far but yeah, it would be extra special to do it again but this time with a crowd, and our families, there to witness it."

Price and Clayton have positioned themselves as two of Wales' most successful sporting stars in recent years, putting darts back on the map in the country, and the pride they have in representing their country shines through whenever they speak. But given how they frequently travel together on tour and spend so much time together away from the game, the pride they have in playing together is also clear to see. And they hope that chemistry will serve them well in an all-new pairs format this year.

"In whatever sport you play, if you get on good with your team-mates, I would expect things would be better," Clayton says. "The team atmosphere is better, right? If you don't get on, how are you supposed to play well on that stage? Like I've said, Gezzy is one of my best friends."

"It's only once a year you get this opportunity," Price replies. "It's just a great chance for me and Jonny to play together, which we don't get to do very often. The privilege to put the Welsh jersey for whatever sport, whether it's rugby, football or darts, we'll do Wales proud, I can promise people that. We're both really looking forward to it."

Price and Clayton could also kick off a special few months for Wales with World Cup glory, too. This weekend it is Welsh darts' turn to shine but later this year, it will be the rugby side vying for glory on the world stage when the Rugby World Cup takes place. "I think that would be an absolute dream," Clayton admits. "Darts and rugby are fast becoming the nation's two sports aren't they, so hopefully that dream comes true and we can all party together after the Rugby World Cup."

And while Price may be slightly less confident about the rugby half of a potential Welsh World Cup double, he remains bullish about his and Clayton's chances. "I think Wales have got it really tough in the rugby," he says. "Some nations are playing really well but the state of Welsh rugby... I'd be surprised if we got close. At least me and Jonny have hopefully got a better chance this weekend, and we can hopefully bring that trophy back home."

World Cup of Darts draw & group standings

Seedings in brackets
Click here for Sky Bet odds
Scroll down for schedule, results & team line-ups

Top four seeded nations go straight to the knockout stages

(1) England
(2) Wales
(3) Netherlands
(4) Scotland

Group Stage

Top team in each group progress to the second round

Group A

(5) Belgium
Finland
China

Group B

(6) Germany
Hong Kong
Japan

Group C

(7) Australia
Guyana
Gibraltar

Group D

(8) Northern Ireland
France
Ukraine

Group E

(9) Republic of Ireland
Thailand
Croatia

Group F

(10) Austria
Denmark
USA

Group G

(11) Poland
Portugal
Lithuania

Group H

(12) Canada
India
Hungary

Group I

(13) Czech Republic
Singapore
Philippines

Group J

(14) Spain
South Africa
Iceland

Group K

(15) Latvia
New Zealand
Bahrain

Group L

(16) Switzerland
Italy
Sweden

Knockout Stages

Second Round bracket

(1) England v Group winner
Group winner v Group winner
(4) Scotland v Group winner
Group winner v Group winner
(2) Wales v Group winner
Group winner v Group winner
(3) Netherlands v Group winner
Group winner v Group winner

World Cup of Darts: Daily Schedule & Results

Thursday June 15 (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Group Stage – First Matches (Best of seven legs)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports

Switzerland v Italy
Poland v Portugal
Czech Republic v Singapore
Spain v South Africa
Republic of Ireland v Thailand
Northern Ireland v France
Belgium v Finland
Canada v India
Austria v Denmark
Germany v Hong Kong
Australia v Guyana
Latvia v New Zealand

Friday June 16
Afternoon Session (1200 local time, 1100 BST)
Group Stage – Second Matches (Best of seven legs)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports

12 matches (Loser of group's first match v Team 3 in group)

Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Group Stage – Final Matches (Best of seven legs)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports

12 matches (Winner of group's first match v Team 3 in group)

Saturday June 17
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Second Round (Best of 15 legs)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports

Four matches

Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Second Round (Best of 15 legs)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports

Four matches

Sunday June 18
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Quarter-Finals (Best of 15 legs)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports

Four Matches

Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Semi-Finals (Best of 15 legs)
TV Coverage: Sky Sport

Two matches

Final (Best of 19 legs)

Winner SF 1 v Winner SF1

World Cup of Darts: Competing nations and team line-ups

Australia - Damon Heta, Simon Whitlock
Austria - Mensur Suljovic, Rowby-John Rodriguez
Bahrain - Basem Mahmood, Abdulnasser Yusuf
Belgium - Dimitri Van den Bergh, Kim Huybrechts
Canada - Matt Campbell, Jeff Smith
China - Xiaochen Zong, Lihao Wen
Croatia - Boris Krcmar, Romeo Grbavac
Czech Republic - Adam Gawlas, Karel Sedlacek
Denmark - Vladimir Andersen, Benjamin Reus
England - Michael Smith, Rob Cross
Finland - Marko Kantele, Paavo Myller
France - Thibault Tricole, Jacques Labre
Germany - Gabriel Clemens, Martin Schindler
Gibraltar - Craig Galliano, Justin Hewitt
Guyana - Norman Madhoo, Sudesh Fitzgerald
Hong Kong - Man Lok Leung, Lok Yin Lee
Hungary - Patrik Kovács, Levente Sárai
Iceland - Hallgrimur Egilsson, Vitor Charrua
India - Prakash Jiwa, Amit Gilitwala
Italy - Michele Turetta, Massimo Dante
Japan - Jun Matsuda, Tomoya Goto
Latvia - Madars Razma, Dmitriy Zhukov
Lithuania - Darius Labanauskas, Mindaugas Barauskas
Netherlands - Dirk van Duijvenbode*, Danny Noppert (*replaced the injured Michael van Gerwen)
New Zealand - Ben Robb, Warren Parry
Northern Ireland - Brendan Dolan, Daryl Gurney
Philippines - Christian Perez, Lourence Ilagan
Poland - Krzysztof Ratajski, Krzysztof Kciuk
Portugal - Jose de Sousa, Luis Ameixa
Republic of Ireland - William O'Connor, Keane Barry
Scotland - Peter Wright, Gary Anderson
Singapore - Paul Lim, Harith Lim
South Africa - Devon Petersen, Vernon Bouwers
Spain - Jose Justicia, Tony Martinez
Sweden - Dennis Nilsson, Oskar Lukasiak
Switzerland - Stefan Bellmont, Marcel Walpen
Thailand - Attapol Eupakaree, Yong Gaweenuntavong
Ukraine - Vladyslav Omelchenko, Illia Pekaruk
USA - Jules van Dongen, Leonard Gates
Wales - Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton

Where can I watch the World Cup of Darts on TV?

The My Diesel Claim World Cup of Darts will be broadcast on Sky Sports for viewers in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC's international broadcast partners, including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers.

World Cup of Darts: Sky Bet Odds

Click here for Sky Bet's darts page

Prize Fund (Per two-player team)

Winners - £80,000
Runners-Up - £50,000
Semi-Final Losers - £30,000
Quarter-Final Losers - £20,000
Last 16 Losers - £9,000
Second in Group - £5,000
Third in Group - £4,000
Total - £450,000