“We are prepared this year to be more up for it” - Luke Humphries sends England World Cup warning after 110 average

Luke Humphries delivered a brutal reminder of his current level at the Nordic Darts Masters, then warned that England will return to the World Cup of Darts sharper, tougher and better prepared after last year’s early exit.

The world number one averaged 109.92 in a 6-3 win over Jeffrey de Graaf in Copenhagen, producing one of the performances of the opening round to move into the quarter-finals. De Graaf, fresh from a recent Players Championship title, still averaged 95.84, but Humphries never allowed the match to drift away from him.

The timing was significant. With the World Cup of Darts now just around the corner, Humphries and Luke Littler will again carry England’s hopes after last year’s disappointment against Germany in Frankfurt.

“I think we’re more prepared this year than ever because obviously the pressure on us last year was immense,” Humphries said. “This year obviously it’s still going to be a lot of pressure, but I think everyone’s acknowledged that we can lose to anybody.”

Humphries was told after the match that his average was 109.92, just shy of the 110 mark. His response was calm, but there was no attempt to hide how good he felt on stage. "Yeah, I felt good there,” he said. “It’s been the last four to five weeks maybe that I’ve felt a lot more comfortable in my throw, and I feel like I can play this level a lot more often.”

The victory continued a run of heavy scoring and improved finishing from Humphries, who has looked increasingly settled again after moving back to his old setup. Against De Graaf, that combination was clear. The scoring was relentless, the doubles followed, and the match was handled without panic despite a strong performance from his opponent.

“I’ve had so many ton-plus averages, so many good performances, doubles have been better,” Humphries said. “It gives you that little bit of a boost, a little bit of confidence that you can keep doing it.”

De Graaf was not a soft opening draw. Humphries described him as “probably the toughest draw” among the regional qualifiers, pointing to the Dutchman’s recent Players Championship win and greater experience at PDC level. “I knew Jeffrey won the Players Championship the other week, so I knew he was going to be in good form, in good spirits and good confidence,” Humphries said. “It’s not just an easy first-round game. It was a nice test for me and I think the first six or seven legs, we both played really good.”

Humphries’ wider numbers this season have underlined his consistency, but he admitted there has been one area that has held him back at times.“Honestly, yes,” he said when asked whether he is in the form of his life. “It’s a bit of a weird one because when I was playing in the Premier League and a few other tournaments, my doubles were really bad, but I still managed to keep up such a high level of average.”

That finishing has now started to match his scoring again. For Humphries, that is where his game changes from strong to suffocating.“I tell you guys all the time, that is when I’m dangerous,” he said. “If my scores are going in and my doubles are going in, then I am really close to Luke as one of the best players.”

Humphries also laughed off the idea that he must feel unbeatable, pointing out that he was beaten only last week. Still, he knows what his top level looks like.“When I’m on it, I’m really tough to beat, and when the doubles are going in, even tougher,” he said.

The return to his old setup has played a part, although Humphries insisted he has not been scared away from future changes. He sees experimenting as part of the search for an even higher ceiling.“Obviously, the previous setup didn’t work out for me, but there is always something out there that can make me a better player,” he said. “Now I know that I can try things and if it doesn’t work out for the first few weeks or few months, then I can just return to it and we try again.”

The most pointed comments came when Humphries looked ahead to the World Cup. England’s 2025 campaign ended with defeat to Germany in Frankfurt, where the home crowd and the pressure surrounding the Humphries-Littler pairing created a difficult stage environment.

Humphries did not dismiss Littler’s suggestion that Germany had been the worst possible draw.“I probably agree, to be fair,” he said. “It’s probably the worst draw we could have got. Obviously, Luke wasn’t the greatest of support for the German people at that time, so of course he was going to get a lot of stuff, and obviously it was going to come with me anyway.”

He also rejected the idea that he and Littler failed to bond properly as a pair.“I don’t think we didn’t bond well. Nothing changed. We weren’t separated on the practice board. We always get along really well,” he said.

Instead, Humphries framed the loss as a mix of pressure, atmosphere and Germany performing better on the night. He also believes Littler is now better equipped to deal with that level of attention.“Luke has probably learned to deal with the burden of the world a lot more over the last 12 months,” Humphries said. “He’s probably gained a lot of experience from what’s happened over the last couple of months, and I don’t think that sort of thing would affect him as much now.”

That leaves England heading back to Frankfurt with the same star pairing, but with a very different outlook.“It’s not a foregone conclusion,” Humphries said. “Whoever we play, we can lose to anybody. But we are prepared this year to be more up for it, more feisty, and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Humphries also gave a deeper explanation of the throw that has helped take him to the top of the sport. He revealed that Adrian Lewis, Raymond van Barneveld and Gary Anderson all influenced the technical work he did around a decade ago.

“I would probably say Adrian Lewis would be the main one,” Humphries said. “He was always my idol. I would have loved to have had the same throw as him. In my opinion, he has still got the best throw that’s ever lived.”

Humphries said he spent six to 12 months trying to make his action smoother, removing the snatching and pulling that can break down under pressure.“It takes a long time. It takes a lot of dedication, but I think that is what changed my career for the best,” he said.

That work has become part of the wider story of his rise. Humphries was also asked whether younger players might now take inspiration from the changes he has made away from the oche, including his fitness and lifestyle improvements.

“I hope I inspire a generation,” he said. “Hopefully the younger generation will look at how I maybe changed my life around, really worked hard and dedicated everything to this sport, and I managed to be successful.”

Humphries now moves on in Copenhagen with his game firing and the World Cup looming. The averages are already frightening, but the England message was just as clear: last year’s disappointment has not been forgotten, and this time the defending narrative around Humphries and Littler will be very different.