Gerwyn Price’s withdrawal from the World Cup of Darts continues to spark debate, and according to analyst and South African World Cup star Devon Petersen, it’s a decision that raises many questions but also deserves understanding. Price was expected to team up with Jonny Clayton, with whom he has already won the World Cup twice, but instead Nick Kenny now gets his chance alongside Clayton. As a result, Wales loses not only experience but also its seeded status.
During a discussion on Sky Sports, Petersen noted that the timing of the withdrawal is striking, especially because Price is known as a proud Welshman who traditionally places great importance on representing his country. According to Petersen, “there’s some serious concerns.” In recent weeks there were already signs that Price wasn’t entirely himself. After a defeat in the Premier League Darts, he said he was “not in a good place health-wise” and that he was waiting for hospital results. Shortly after, however, he nuanced those comments on social media by saying his withdrawal from the World Cup was “not for health reasons.”
Petersen believes that the impact of Price’s withdrawal will be felt as much in the rest of the draw as in the Welsh team itself. “A lot of countries will have been celebrating,” Petersen explains. “Not that Nick Kenny isn’t a great player, but just that Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton are a formidable team.” As for potential reasons, Petersen looks towards the Premier League. “It’s the leading exhibition of the PDC, but after 16 weeks, you’re straight into another exhibition and then the World Matchplay,” notes the South African. “Gerwyn Price is now approaching things very differently and that’s something I didn’t expect from him because he’s very Welsh.”
Petersen pondered: “There’s some serious concerns on his account to be weighing up this opportunity. ‘I’m not fully fit so do I let everybody down in Wales, or do I give someone else a chance?’” The question now is, with Price absent and Clayton left to lead debutant Nick Kenny, how far can Wales expect to go at the 2026 World Cup of Darts?
