Rugby international backs darts-playing brother to defeat Luke Littler: “If Carl has one of his good days, he’d give him a good go”

Luke Littler’s rise has not gone unnoticed, even beyond the darts world. Yet the young world champion receives a striking warning from an unexpected quarter. Rugby international Marc Sneyd speaks with confidence about his brother Carl, who has now stepped onto the highest level in darts and, in his view, is capable of challenging even the absolute elite.

Sneyd, a playmaker for the Warrington Wolves, recently impressed on the rugby field with a strong display against Wigan. But alongside his own sporting success, he is closely following the progress of his brother, Carl Sneyd, who recently secured a coveted PDC Tour Card. That officially places him on the professional circuit and makes a meeting with stars like Littler a realistic prospect.

“Carl’s not doing too badly,” said Sneyd. “He’s got his tour card now, which is a big thing in itself, because there are so many people trying to earn one.” According to the rugby player, it is great to see his brother holding his own among the world’s best. “It’s quite good to see him playing against the players he’s playing against. He’s beaten Michael Smith and Dave Chisnall in the last couple of years.”

A clash with Littler has not yet happened. Even so, Sneyd does not consider his brother without a chance. “But he hasn’t played Luke yet. He’s obviously the best in the world, but if Carl has one of his good days, he’d give him a good go.”

The athletic foundation of the Sneyd brothers, strikingly enough, does not lie in darts but on the rugby field. In their youth they played together and worked fanatically on their kicking technique. “Carl was actually really good at rugby to be fair to him. We’d go to George’s, near our house, and have kicking competitions, we’d go for hours and hours,” Sneyd recalls. “Every kick you do helps you become a better kicker and you could tell by the look on his face that I was really good at kicking.”

The rivalry between them played a key role. “He’s four years older than me, but he’d always remind me of the ones he won and I’d do so with him.”