If you want an insight into how Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton play together, rewind to June 18th, 2023.

It’s the quarterfinal stage of the PDC World Cup of Darts, and the Welsh team are wobbling at 5-3 down against the in-form Swedish duo of Dennis Nilsson and Oskar Lukasiak.

The duo, comprised of team captain Price and world number five Clayton, needed something special to avoid an ignominious exit against an unseeded opponent.

“We just gave each other ‘the look’” recalls Clayton.

“It’s a look of ‘we’ve got to pull our fingers out here’ and dig deeper. Thankfully, we did, and we got through that game.”

Clayton and Price would win the next five legs on the spin and face Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts of Belgium in the semi-final later that day.

A nervy 8-7 win was confirmed in style by Clayton’s checkout of 100 to seal a fifth World Cup final place and a third for the duo in the last four years.

Only the experienced Scottish team of Gary Anderson and Peter Wright stood between them and a second World Cup trophy.

“To play against one of my favourite players of all time in Gary Anderson was pretty special,” says Clayton.

“The Scottish guys are fantastic people and great players, but we were always going to get that title no matter what.”

Wales raced into an 8-1 lead and, two legs away from Word Cup glory, Clayton was able to take a moment to reflect on a fantastic week playing with his great mate.

“To be able to fly into that lead, there’s part of you saying, ‘we’ve got to get this over the line’ and another part wanting to soak it all up,” adds Clayton.

“The sooner, the better though, and when we did manage to get over the line it was amazing.

“It’s a great feeling to become World Champions again. It was a brilliant field, to win it for a second time and beat a team of that quality, it’s fantastic.”

For Clayton, it is a matter of when, not if, they regain the title.

“I believe that we will do it again,” he adds.

“I can’t wait to be honest. Gezzy has the same attitude as myself – we both love to win.

“Everybody is backing the two Lukes, but I think we’re the dangerous ones.”

Clayton has every right to back himself ahead of this weekend’s World Cup. As a combination, Price and Clayton have won the World Cup of Darts twice – in 2020 and 2023 – as well as reaching the final in 2022.

England do have a formidable duo in Luke Humphreys and Luke Littler, the number one and two in the world respectively, but in a tournament that transforms the sport from an individual one to a team pursuit, Wales have the winning experience.

England are the reigning champions and, with the ‘upgrade’ from Michael Smith to current World Champion in Littler, they are heavily favoured.

With Littler’s profile transcending the sport itself, Clayton is full of praise for the 18-year-old.

“We get on great because he’s a genuinely nice guy,” Clayton says.

“Very quiet. I try to look over his shoulder to see which games he plays on his phone before he goes to practice because it’s obviously working.

“He is a well-liked guy, and I think he’s maybe a party animal in the choir!”

Another factor in the World Cup is the rare experience of representing Wales and wearing the iconic red shirt.

“It’s a proud moment,” Clayton adds.

“Being Welsh, if you put on the shirt playing bowls, football, rugby, dance whatever! Representing your country is a fantastic feeling. It brings the goose pimples on your neck.

“To get up on that stage to represent Wales with a teammate like Gezzy feels like Christmas!”

For Price, the world number 11 is keen to stress that the duo need no extra motivation when playing for their country.

“When you’re playing for your country and your teammate, you don’t want to let them down,” he explains.

“We’ve won it twice before, so that eases the pressure as well and we have experience playing at the top-level week in week out, dealing with the pressure of playing against the best players in front of big crowds.

“I’m a proud Welshman and when I’m representing Wales, whether it’s in darts or in the past rugby, I always want to give 100%.

“There is a lot of pressure, but we seem to thrive under bigger pressure!”

That winning experience is clearly something that the Welsh duo will lean on in the key moments when titles are on the line.

Price is equally effusive in his praise of his teammate and says that it’s their friendship that really drives their success together.

“Jonny and I get on really well,” says Price.

“That is the main ingredient to winning the tournament. Some players don’t get on or don’t like playing with their teammate. That’s crazy to me.

“When you lose as an individual, obviously you’re upset with yourself. But then when you play for Wales, I’m playing for Jonny as well, so it can be really tough.

“You need to have that connection with a player and that’s what Jonny and I have got.”

Even with the experience of playing together, the two Welsh darts masters have to accommodate each other and their unique styles.

For example, Price’s most common outshot is double 20, whereas Clayton prefers the more traditional 32 route.

“100% we have to change our games,” Clayton reveals.

“If I’ve got 92 left, and Gezzy is obviously coming next, do I think ‘well, I’m going for the treble 20 and 32, or do I try and set it up for Gezzy?’

“It’s the heat of the moment and you have to think about what your opponents are on. Usually, you do try and leave your partner his favourite double.

“As I say, myself and Gez, we click. Hopefully, we’re going to click again this weekend!”

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