‘Rabbits’ Luke Littler and Luke Humphries branded ‘rabbits in the headlights’ after World Cup flop

Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, the world’s top two darts players, were dubbed “rabbits in the headlights” by legendary referee Russ Bray following their stunning 8-4 loss to Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko in the World Cup of Darts’ last-16 round in Frankfurt, per The Mirror. As top seeds and pre-tournament favorites, England’s duo, fresh off receiving MBEs, struggled under pressure, managing a combined average of just 93 and converting only 4 of 11 doubles, per Sky Sports. Bray attributed their lackluster performance to the weight of expectations, saying, “They were under a lot of pressure because of the hype… They just couldn’t get their game going,” per The Irish Sun.

Gerwyn Price further criticized their lack of team unity, noting they “didn’t turn up together, didn’t sit together, didn’t play as a team,” per The Guardian. The hostile German crowd, booing Littler during walk-ons, added to the pressure, with Littler’s prior frustrations in Germany resurfacing, per Daily Mail. Despite a brief rally to 2-2 with Littler’s 123 checkout, Germany’s high finishes, including Pietreczko’s 106, sealed England’s fate, per Sky Sports. Bray contrasted their individualistic styles with Northern Ireland’s cohesive winners, Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney, per Darts News. X posts, like @MirrorSport, echoed the “rabbits” label, reflecting fan shock, per.