World Cup of Darts: John Henderson eyes successful title defence with Peter Wright

John Henderson insists his form is good despite disappointing results

John Henderson aims to help Scotland retain the World Cup of Darts while admitting that last year’s win did not “change my life” as much as he hoped.

The 49-year-old and world champion Peter Wright secured the title with a 3-1 win over Austria.

But Henderson has struggled with results ahead of this year’s event from Thursday to Sunday in Frankfurt.

“To get a first title in a major on the TV – did it change my life? I wouldn’t say so,” Henderson tells BBC Scotland.

“I use Jonny Clayton as an example. When he won the World Cup, his career just went through the roof, he ended up winning everything after that and I just used to think ‘well, if I can get half of that’, but it hasn’t gone my way.”

While Wright still leads the PDC world rankings, Henderson is down in 67th having only reached the last 16 in three events since last year’s big win.

“I am feeling good,” he insists. “I am actually playing really well. I am averaging well over the 90s in every game, so my form going into the World Cup is really good.

“And obviously I am keeping an eye on Peter as well. He has had a wee dip in form, but he has found it again just in time, so we are looking good.”

Henderson says he has received advice from Wright and previous world champions Michael van Gerwen, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson, with all telling him “just persevere, you will get there, you just need a bit of luck”.

Scotland, seeded eighth, begin their title defence on Friday against unseeded Hong Kong pair Lee Lok Yin and Ching Ho Tung.

Henderson expects improving Dutch pair Danny Noppert and Dirk van Duijvenbode, Wales’ Clayton and Gerwyn Price, Belgians Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts, plus local German pair Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler, to be among the main challengers at Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle.

Henderson admits the pressure and expectations will be greater this time as defending champions but is keen to relive “one of the best moments of my life”, when thousands lined the streets of home town Huntly to welcome him back a year ago.

“Hopefully I can go over to Germany and relaunch my career,” he adds.