"We have a great chance of winning it again": Whitlock talks up Australia's World Cup of Darts title defence

Twelve months on from their victory over Wales that cliched the title, Simon Whitlock and Damon Heta return to the World Cup of Darts excited and ready to try and win again.

"I mean, we're world champions!" Whitlock says in an interview with Darts Actueel. "Damo is amazing. I love playing with Damo he's been great so far and I think we have a great chance of winning it again."

Despite being reigning World Cup of Darts winners, Australia aren't one of the four seeded teams. This means that unlike Wales, England, Scotland and the Netherlands, Australia will have to get through a mini group stage. In the Aussies group are Guyana and Gibraltar.

"I think this is how it should have been from the start," Whitlock continues, referencing the new format of exclusively pairs matchups at the World Cup of Darts. "It's all about pairs to me and not the singles play."

The World Cup of Darts will be played from June 15-18 in Frankfurt, Germany. The nation tournament has a revamped format this year, with only pair matches being played.

The field of participants consists of 40 countries. Top nations England, the Netherlands, Wales and Scotland are automatically qualified for the last 16. The remaining 36 countries are divided into 12 groups of three countries each. The 12 group winners join the aforementioned four countries in the second round. From then on, knockout matches will be played.

Darts fans across the United Kingdom can watch the World Cup of Darts on Sky Sports. The winning duo at the World Cup of Darts will go home with £40,000 each.