Peter Wright takes a cheeky swipe at Michael Smith during the World Cup of Darts (Image: PDC/X)
Peter Wright once left World Cup team-mate, fuming following a backstage barb. Humphries and Wright will renew their spicy rivalry at the after both came through their third-round ties on Friday.
Wright had the defending champion, would be knocked out by Raymond van Barneveld, only for the Dutch legend to be dumped out by Nick Kenny in the second round. who beat Jermaine Wattimena in his third-round match, is renowned for making bold predictions and taking verbal shots at rivals.
He issued one such dig in the summer during the World Cup of Darts in Germany, where Humphries and Smith teamed up for England and Wright and Gary Anderson represented Scotland. After England came through their quarter-final against Northern Ireland, Humphries and Smith were captured walking past the Scottish pair backstage.
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At that point, Wright quipped “how’s your shoulders, Luke?”, slyly suggesting Humphries had been carrying the team. England then bested Scotland 10-4 in the semi-finals before defeating Austria in the final. With the medal around his neck, Smith couldn’t resist taking a shot back at Wright, who had recently finished at the foot of the table.
“We won the quarters and Peter Wright walked past, asking Luke how his shoulders were. The guy has just averaged 78 and he’s trying to give me s***,” blasted the 2023 world champion.
“Then we had an argument, not an argument, but he was trying to give me a bit of banter backstage. Peter, you’re not good enough, mate.
“How are your shoulders Luke?” ??????A few mind games from Team Scotland ??????
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC)
“It’s just the same as everything else, and that guy should have some strong shoulders because he’s been holding the up for two years!”
Not done there, Smith then retweeted a Sky Sports clip of Wright declaring that he and Anderson would “smash up England” in the semis, along with a picture of him and Humphries with their winners’ medals.
While Smith’s interest in the 2025 Worlds was ended at the second round stage by Kevin Doets, Humphries and Wright and will do battle again in the last 16 on Sunday night. And the verbal blows have been flying already.
Luke Humphries has taken a swipe back at Peter Wright (Image: Getty)
Referring to Wright’s aforementioned predictions, Humphries said after beating Kenny: “He’s had a lot to say over the last couple of weeks where he says that he doesn’t fear me and .
“He says he’s going to smash us. So, yeah, I mean, all the pressure’s on him now because if he doesn’t, then the eggs on his face, not mine.
“I’m really, really relaxed and, if he doesn’t beat us, then it’s going to look silly on him, not me. I mean, I wanted to say something back, but I’m like, ‘Nah, let’s leave it’.”