Wigan Warriors and Hull KR stars face off at the World Darts Championships

Four Wigan Warriors and Hull KR stars have faced off against each other at the World Darts Championships two months after the Grand Final.

It’s just over ten weeks since Wigan Warriors capped off their incredible 2024 season with a 9-2 win at Old Trafford in the Super League Grand Final, however, Hull KR have now avenged that defeat – at least somewhat.

Fresh off picking up the Team of the Year accolade at the Sports Personality of the Year awards, Wigan’s Harry Smith and Liam Marshall took on Hull KR’s Jack Brown and Jack Broadbent in a nine dart challenge at the PDC World Dart Championships.

For the Warriors, that is where their winning streak ended with Marshall and Smith comfortably beaten by the Robins duo live on stage at the Alexandra Palace – where Wigan fan Joe Cullen won his game comfortably against Holland’s Wessel Nijman.

Earlier in the day, Hull KR pair Broadbent and Brown had presented the defeated Dutchman with one of their warm up tops for their Amsterdam Challenge – a pre-season friendly in late January against York Knights, held in Amsterdam.

Wigan Warriors and Hull KR duos face off at World Darts Championship

Our Dutch connection 🇳🇱

Jack Broadbent and Jack Brown caught up with Dutch darts player, Wessel Nijman on the https://t.co/LMj8cp9taF Amsterdam Challenge on January 25th!🏆🎯#UpTheRobins 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/BhvF2zZF6J

— Hull KR (@hullkrofficial) December 22, 2024

Both Harry Smith and Liam Marshall were interviewed alongside Cullen, prior to his win, as the Wigan Warriors pair reflected on their loss in their own darting challenge.

World number 23 Cullen joked: “I’ve just heard that they lost the nine dart challenge as well so it was nice of the boys to let Hull KR win something this year wasn’t it?”

Super League top try scorer Marshall agreed: “They won at a canter didn’t they? They had three darts spare but like Joe said we’ve got to let them have something.”

The World Darts Championships are currently being broadcast on Sky Sports, Super League’s primary broadcaster, and the sports have a lot of crossover with stars such as Luke Littler (Warrington Wolves) and Michael Smith (St Helens) also being huge rugby league fans.

Coincidentally, the Wigan Warriors pair of Smith and Marshall are fans of the darts too with Smith explaining: “Yeah, (we’re) massive fans. We really enjoy it, especially watching Joe and hopefully, we watch him today get the win.”

Cullen to Vegas? 🎰

Darts star and Wigan fan Joe Cullen hopes to watch Liam Marshall and Harry Smith take on Warrington Wolves at the Allegiant Stadium in 2025 🙌 pic.twitter.com/TuXsFMids8

— Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) December 22, 2024

Talk quickly changed to Las Vegas, where Wigan will take on Warrington in March, with Smith hoping to replicate the party atmosphere of the darts over in Vegas with the travelling support.

He said: “It’s a bit weird. We don’t really know what to expect. It’s going to be a massive stage and it’s going to be brilliant so hopefully, we can as many people there as possible. We’re looking forward to it.”

One of those who travels over could be Joe Cullen, although he might have to skip the UK Open – something he joked that he might forego.

The man nicknamed ‘Rockstar’ asked: “What day does it land on? I haven’t looked at the PDC calendar but if I can go, I’ll go.

“Ahh, it’s only the UK Open isn’t it? I’d rather go there (Vegas). Obviously, I’m a big rugby fan, not just Wigan, so it will be a fantastic occasion. Obviously, we’ve won the lot so we are the team to watch.

“I went to the Grand Final and the Challenge Cup Final to try get some inspiration and that didn’t work.”