Luke Humphries on fame, anxiety and Luke Littler: ‘I’ve become world champion by being myself’

The 29-year-old says real-life experience working as a roofer made darts success all the sweeter and how he enjoys his battles with 17-year-old Littler more than any other

“Definitely,” Luke Humphries says when he considers whether he can retain the darts world championship title which changed his life after he beat Luke Littler in a memorable final at the start of this year. “I honestly believe that my time is right now and I can go back-to-back. Of course it’s easy to think it, while to do it is a lot harder. But I believe in myself and the second one is always sweeter than the first because it’s harder to do. You’re achieving greatness once you start winning multiple world championships.”

The usually understated world champion and I sit in a discreet corner of a swanky bar on the Strand in London. We’re deep into the second part of an interview which had been interrupted after 30 minutes so that Humphries, Littler and Michael van Gerwen could disappear downstairs to film a segment for a new Netflix documentary. It helps that the crammed bar has finally begun to empty after a long afternoon launch of this year’s world championship that begins on Sunday. Humphries has been on a chattering treadmill but it’s as if a weight has been lifted when he sits down again, relieved that he won’t have to face another camera or act out a scene for one last plug of the event.

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The Breakdown | Unselfish yeomanry who carried England home deserved better from rugby

Footage from documentary on World Cup heroes shows why they have launched campaign to aid retired players

Rugby can be a tough game to play and, occasionally, a desperately tough subject to write about. Particularly when painful truths are being starkly outlined by the most honest, respected and outwardly resilient of men. And by individuals who, having lifted the 2003 Rugby Rugby World Cup, have enjoyed the ultimate professional high the sport has to offer.

There was precious little to celebrate, sadly, when Phil Vickery popped around for a sitdown chat with his old England front-row pal Steve Thompson as part of a new documentary, Unbreakable: England 2003, released on TNT Sport this week. In a perfect world it would have been an excuse for warm reminiscences and fond memories, a reunion as sweet as the old chariot itself.

Unbreakable: England 2003 premieres on TNT Sports on 11 December.

This is an extract taken from our weekly rugby union email, the Breakdown. To sign up, just visit this page and follow the instructions.

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Sporticast 404: How to Talk About Juan Soto’s $765M Mets Contract

On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including the New York Mets signing outfielder Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract. It is by far the largest contract in U.S. sports history by total dollars, and the largest per-year …