"They've got to look after these big guys" - Whitlock and Heta on defending champions not being a seeded team at the World Cup of Darts

Getting their World Cup of Darts defence underway with a win, the Australian duo of Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock continue to be quietly confident of claiming a second straight title.

Opening with a 4-0 victory over Guyana, the pair admitted their best darts are still yet to come. "It wasn't great but we got the job done. We're onto bigger and better things tomorrow," Heta told Online Darts in a post-match interview. "Hopefully we'll get the job done again and then the business starts after that I feel."

Being defending champions can bring with it some added pressure although both Whitlock and Heta are quick to point out that they aren't feeling it. "I think it's just more fun that we've done it. I think it's on other people that have to beat us. Good luck to them." Heta laughs. "There's no extra pressure on us I don't feel. Maybe later on in the tournament but no, we're all good," adds Whitlock.

Due to the new, adapted format of the World Cup of Darts, the top 4 nations were given a bye, straight into the knockout stages. Despite being the defending champions, Australia weren't one of the seeded teams. When asked if that grated on them a little, Whitlock disagreed.

"We get a couple of warm-up games," he says with a smile. Heta also smiles as he replies. "They've got to look after these big guys. They want to see them in the later rounds and it's the only way your going to see them because they'd get knocked out early. They don't want to see that!"