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Michael Smith on St Helens’ World Club Challenge victory and his dreams of becoming a multiple world darts champion I The 3Arena, Dublin hosts the fourth of 17 individual venues on Thursday, February 23 with the Play-Offs returning to The O2 in London on Thursday, May 25
Last Updated: 20/02/23 6:11pm
Michael Smith has hailed St Helens’ dramatic World Club Challenge victory, while opening up about his own motivation to become a multiple darts world champion.
Saints’ 13-12 triumph over Penrith Panthers, capped by Lewis Dodd’s dramatic golden-point drop-goal, marked the first win by an English club in Australia since 1994 when Wigan sunk the Brisbane Broncos.
The Super League champions defied a tropical storm and the first-half loss of Tommy Makinson with a head injury to claim a stunning upset win which was celebrated wildly in the Smith household.
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February 23, 2023, 7:00pm
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Highlights of St Helens’ World Club Challenge victory against Penrith Panthers
“It was a massive win for St Helens because we went in as underdogs as well and to do it in their own back garden with a golden point, it’s massive for the town and it’s massive for the Super League back home in England,” said ‘Bully Boy’ who defeated Michael van Gerwen at Alexandra Palace to claim his maiden PDC world crown in January.
“You never write off the Saints and the boys showed it. They kept on ploughing forward, even from the first kick-off.
“We weren’t there to make the numbers up. We were there to compete.”
As St Helens’ substitutes and backroom staff surged onto the field to celebrate Dodd’s kick, it marked a special moment for captain James Roby, the only playing survivor of Saints’ 2007 triumph, who delayed retirement in the hope of another crack at the southern hemisphere giants.
“The players buzz off Roby and so do the fans. He’s so instrumental to the St Helens team. He’s part of the furniture he’s been there that long and he’s just unreal,” said Smith.
“Even if this is his last season, you can’t see him finishing because he’s that good. Age hasn’t caught up with him at all.
“We’ve supposedly just beaten the best team in the world so who’s going to beat us now?”
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Watch the best of the action from Night Three in Glasgow as Smith and Dimitri Van den Bergh delighted fans
Smith saw off Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-4 to win Night Three of the Premier League in Glasgow and move top of the table.
The 32-year-old, who broke his major duck by winning the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton last year, hopes to do it all again in Dublin this Thursday night but his main motivation is becoming a multiple world champion.
He said: “I’ve not had time to sit down and think about what I have done. But this is what I wanted. I wanted to be world champion, be constantly busy playing and on the road so I’m looking forward it.
“I’ve never been to number one in the world apart from now so it’s about thinking about wanting to stay there and win more.
“Before the world championship it was the motivation of being world champion but now I am I want to motivate myself to be a multiple world champion and win two, three or four. That’s what’s motivating me.”
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Watch how Smith overcame several setbacks to become world darts champion
Where is the Premier League heading next?
Night 4 in Dublin: Thursday, February 23
| Quarter-Finals | Michael Smith vs Peter Wright |
|---|---|
| Gerwyn Price vs Dimitri Van den Bergh | |
| Jonny Clayton vs Nathan Aspinall | |
| Chris Dobey vs Michael van Gerwen |
The Premier League roadshow heads to the 3Arena, Dublin on Thursday, February 23 for Night Four of the league phase.
Smith and Wright lock horns in a repeat of the 2022 world championship final.
Elsewhere, Price takes on Van den Bergh, Dobey and six-time winner Van Gerwen collide, while Clayton and Aspinall in front of a sell-out Irish crowd.
2023 Premier League Schedule
| Night 4 | 3Arena, Dublin | February 23 |
| Night 5 | Westpoint Exeter | March 2 |
| Night 6 | The Brighton Centre | March 9 |
| Night 7 | Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham | March 16 |
| Night 8 | Utilita Arena, Newcastle | March 23 |
| Night 9 | Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin | March 30 |
| Night 10 | Utilita Arena, Birmingham | April 6 |
| Night 11 | M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool | April 13 |
| Night 12 | Rotterdam Ahoy | April 20 |
| Night 13 | First Direct Arena, Leeds | April 27 |
| Night 14 | AO Arena, Manchester | May 4 |
| Night 15 | Utilita Arena, Sheffield | May 11 |
| Night 16 | P&J Live, Aberdeen | May 18 |
| Play-Offs | The O2, London | May 25 |
We’re back for more Premier League Darts action from the 3Arena, Dublin on Thursday, February 23 – live on Sky Sports Action & Sky Sports Main Event from 7pm.
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