Simon Whitlock was not surprised that the England dream team were dumped out of the World Cup “I’m not surprised. “It was brutal for them out there”

Australia booked their place in the quarterfinals of the 2025 World Cup of Darts with minimal fuss, dispatching Argentina in convincing fashion with an 8-1 win. The pairing of Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock barely needed to shift out of second gear as they breezed through the last-16 tie, and now turn their attention to a showdown with host nation Germany—fresh off a shock victory over tournament favourites England.

Despite a modest team average of 85.05, the Australians never looked in trouble against the inexperienced Argentine pair, who were making their debut at this level.

“Job done. Cruisy. Nice. Job done,” said a relaxed Whitlock after the match. “We didn’t play our best, but we didn’t have to, to be fair.”

His partner Heta was equally satisfied with the straightforward nature of the win. “We had a plan: get in front early, break them down, and apply the pressure. Once we did that, they were pretty much done,” he explained. “From there, it was just about finishing the job and keeping things professional.”

Now through to the quarterfinals, the focus for the reigning champions shifts to Germany, who pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far by eliminating England 8-4. The Germans, boosted by a passionate home crowd, delivered a spirited performance that defied expectations.

“They’re experienced players,” said Heta of the German team. “They’ve got Euro Tour wins, they’ve played under pressure, in front of big crowds, during day and night sessions. And I think the climate had something to do with it today too—it was very humid on stage. I could feel sweat everywhere.”

Whitlock, while respectful of the hosts, believes Germany might struggle to maintain that level of performance in their next outing. “It could be one of those situations where you beat a top name, like Michael [van Gerwen], and then go out the next round. Or you knock out Luke [Humphries], and can’t back it up,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re focused on what we need to do, not what they’re doing.”

Simon Whitlock was not surprised that the England dream team were dumped out of the World Cup

The Australian duo are also prepared for what’s expected to be a raucous home crowd cheering on the hosts. But rather than being intimidated, they see it as a motivating factor.

“We get booed pretty much everywhere we go,” Whitlock joked. “Germany had momentum—they’d already had two wins under their belt, and England had never played together before. That made a big difference, and you could tell the crowd played a big part.”

The two had differing opinions when asked if they were surprised by England’s early exit. “Not at all,” Whitlock said bluntly. Heta, however, admitted to being caught slightly off guard.

“I was a bit surprised,” he said. “Maybe each of them thought the other would take control. But with the crowd fully behind Germany, it turned into a really hostile atmosphere for them. It was brutal out there.”

Looking ahead to their own matchup against Germany, Heta emphasized the importance of silencing the crowd early and taking control of the match.

“We’ve played a lot of darts together. We’re calm, we’ve been in these situations,” he said. “It’s about getting in front early, keeping the German crowd quiet, and trying to build a gap. That’s the ideal scenario.”

Whitlock echoed that sentiment. “If we start strong and take the wind out of the crowd’s sails, it might change the game. Germany got ahead early tonight, and you could see their confidence growing. We’ve got to make sure that doesn’t happen when they play us.”

While the Argentina match presented a very different type of challenge, Heta acknowledged that the relaxed mindset may have been due to the opponents’ inexperience.

“Subconsciously, we knew Argentina were making their debut,” he said. “They’d never been in a situation like this, so maybe we relaxed a bit without meaning to. But facing a team with experience like Germany—trust me, we’ll be completely different players.”

As finals day looms closer, both players are enjoying the opportunity to represent their country once more. For Whitlock, who no longer holds a tour card, the experience is especially meaningful.

“I love playing for Australia, and I love playing alongside Damon,” he said. “I’m enjoying my darts more now than I have in years. No pressure—just having fun and trying to win.”