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Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE World Cup of Darts winner Josh Rock reveals secrets of his partnership with Daryl Gurney as he lays bare his major aims amid stunning run of form
Josh Rock dials in from this interview from an airport, 21 days after he and Daryl Gurney made history in winning Northern Ireland's first World Cup of Darts title. A matter of hours after doing so, he was in Leicester for the latest round of Players Championship events, before he could finally take a moment off, jetting to Mallorca for a well-earned break, knowing he was a world champion. Becoming a solo world champion is on the agenda. That could come later this year. It, at least, feels like it probably will do at some point. For Rock is still just 24, and is left somewhat speechless when reflecting on his journey alongside Gurney in Berlin last month. 'To win the World Cup for your country, not a lot of people can say they have played for their country, let alone win it,' Rock exclusively tells Mail Sport. 'I believed me and Daryl could win the World Cup, but I wasn't expecting the first time. 'I said in an interview at the start that it was the strongest Northern Ireland team we had ever had and we proved that we are.' Rock, who married wife Sarah in January, isn't short on self-confidence. When he joined Target, he told Dan Dawson that he felt he and Luke Littler would dominate for years to come. Rock is yet to win a major but has time on his side. Again, he is 24 - he's only getting better and is targeting the top 10 in the rankings by the end of the year. His recent form suggests he's well on his way after more joy in yet more Players Championship events in Leicester this week. But mistake not his confidence for arrogance. Belief is a key ingredient of success, he says. And it's helped him get this far. 'I have self belief because if you don't believe then you won't achieve,' he says. 'And if you don't think you can play some of the best darts in the world then you aren't going to win. 'I'm not being big-headed. I am confident in my game, confident I am there to win. I haven't won every time I have played, I haven't won a ranking major yet - hopefully that will happen soon - but you need that belief in yourself and your game that the time will come.' Someone who has helped him along the way is doubles partner Gurney. The World Cup is the only PDC event played in a doubles format, pitting the best two players from each country alongside each other. Rock debuted last year with Brendan Dolan but, this year, Gurney was back. But it wasn't the first time he and Gurney had crossed paths. Far, far from it. Gurney has already spoken of how playing with Rock breathed new life into his darts career - and now it's Rock's turn to sing his partner's praise. 'Daryl treats me like a son and I look up to him like a dad when it comes to this sport,' he says, cracking a smile. 'We spend so much time with each other. 'We go out, eat dinner together a lot of the time, travel to the European Tour all the time together. Before I joined this call I was on the phone with him for 45 minutes, he was getting the car washed. I have a very close bond with Daryl and I think that was something that helped us to win that World Cup because we are such close friends. When I came on the tour we clicked straight away.' He admits he had never 'fallen in love with a pair of darts' until his Target Generation Ones Much was made of the efforts of Littler and Luke Humphries at the World Cup. The best two players in the world lost their first game to Germany, and Wales' Gerwyn Price would criticise their teamwork. That's certainly not an area in which Rock and Gurney lacked. 'If I'm not hitting the scoring, he is and I'm hitting the doubles and vice versa, and that's what you call the perfect partnership,' Rock adds. 'There was one game, I think it was Ireland, then Wales or Germany... there was a bit I had where I didn't hit any trebles at all and then Daryl hit them, and then I finished off and it was reversed a bit. We did well. 'They say about individual performances but we were there as a team. We won as a team, we arrived as a team - bar one morning when he went half-hour early. I was a bit lazy wanting an extra half-hour in bed. We ate together every night and were pretty much there together from start to finish.' 'I wouldn't say I needed it or didn't need it,' he says of his holiday, which also saw him spend some time at his caravan. 'We booked it a couple of months ago and I knew it was the space I had free. It was nice to get away and we had nice weather.' But the break is now over. Major season is around the corner in darts. Still to come this year is the World Matchplay, the Grand Prix, the Players Championship finals and then the World Championship. 'I'd take a final,' Rock admits. 'I do aims yearly. Top-16, I have done that. 'By the end of the year I'll be in the top-16, hopefully top-10. Maybe top-eight depending what I do and win. You have to set goals.' One of the most exciting up-and-coming stars in the sport, Rock signed with Target at the start of the year in a whirlwind month and his Gen 1 darts were born. 'I had to wait for the darts and I have proved what I can do with them,' he says. 'I had never fallen in love with a set of darts until now. 'I knew it was happening for a long time, from after the Grand Prix. They made me feel so welcome, I get on with everyone and I get looked after behind the scenes.' Not that he necessarily needed it, but his work with Target - who are the official sponsors of Dartford Football Club this season - has taken Rock to new heights. Time will tell how much further he can go - but 'Rocky' is dreaming big.
Scottish Sun
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘He didn't enjoy it' – Luke Humphries doesn't know if Luke Littler will return to Germany after World Cup of Darts abuse
Humphries and Littler had contrasting fates at the US Darts Masters Got the Humph 'He didn't enjoy it' – Luke Humphries doesn't know if Luke Littler will return to Germany after World Cup of Darts abuse Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LUKE LITTLER may not return to play in the World Cup Darts, according to Luke Humphries. The Nuke and Cool Hand suffered a disastrous last 16 exit from the tournament earlier this month, despite the pair - ranked as the top two in the world - being heavy favourites. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Luke Humphries has suggested Luke Littler may not return to play in the Darts World Cup Credit: Getty 3 Humphries said he could tell his team-mate did not enjoy the tournament Credit: X formerly Twitter / @SkySportsDarts 3 But the World No1 added playing again was a decision only Littler could make Credit: Getty The English duo were defeated by the German team of Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko in their first match at the World Cup hosted by Germany. That led to them being called out for "letting their country down" by darts icon Dennis Priestley, who suggested they did not deserve their MBE honours awarded just before the tournament began. Meanwhile, Welsh rival Gerwyn Price questioned England's team spirit. And speaking to Online Darts, World No1 Humphries has now lifted the lid on the fallout behind the scenes and revealed his team-mate's feelings on the tournament. READ MORE IN DARTS TRANSFER LATEST Gittens to have Chelsea MEDICAL, Liverpool wait for Isak, Joao Pedro latest The 30-year-old said: "I knew when we lost it was going to be big news, but people forget — we never once said we were going to win it with ease. That was everyone else. "It was gutting to see so many English fans happy to see us lose. The Germans would never do that to their players. It was incredibly tough, especially for Luke. "I could tell by his face he didn't enjoy it. I kind of relished it, but he's still young to that. It seems to have carried on more than I expected. "There was a lot of talk about us not being a team. But from the horse's mouth — we were a team. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "We didn't arrive at the same time because I told Luke, 'Do your own thing.' I get there four hours before, he gets there two. I need more practice, he doesn't. "We sat right next to each other at the table — me, my manager, my girlfriend. He sat right beside me. Gerwyn Price runs rule over Luke Littler and Luke Humphries' England's World Cup of Darts flop "So that stuff about not being a team was not true. We get along really well. It just didn't happen for us." Humphries was then asked whether he would be teaming up with Littler, 18, to have another go next year, but explained it was a decision only the world champion could make. He continued: "You'd have to ask him. I think it's so prestigious that he will. Whether he goes back for Euro Tours? That's not for me to answer. "I'm sure he'll answer that for you, but that wasn't a nice environment for him. I don't think he enjoyed it. "He deserves some slack — he's done nothing wrong. He's a great pioneer for the sport. We should celebrate him, not whistle at him." But after a break away from the oche, both returned for the US Darts Masters in Madison Square Garden, New York. On his break, Humphries added: "Yeah, I feel good. It was a good time in Benidorm — great fun. I didn't even think about darts once, to be honest. "It was great to just get away, enjoy myself, and not have to worry about the constant stress of darts." Humphries got back to winning ways across the pond with emphatic wins over Stowe Buntz, Danny Lauby, Price and a tough match against Nathan Aspinall, who beat Littler en route to the final.
The Irish Sun
29-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘He didn't enjoy it' – Luke Humphries doesn't know if Luke Littler will return to Germany after World Cup of Darts abuse
LUKE LITTLER may not return to play in the World Cup Darts, according to Luke Humphries. The Nuke and Cool Hand suffered a disastrous last 16 exit from the tournament earlier this month, despite the pair - ranked as the top two in the world - being heavy favourites. Advertisement 3 Luke Humphries has suggested Luke Littler may not return to play in the Darts World Cup Credit: Getty 3 Humphries said he could tell his team-mate did not enjoy the tournament Credit: X formerly Twitter / @SkySportsDarts 3 But the World No1 added playing again was a decision only Littler could make Credit: Getty The English duo were defeated by the German team of Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko in their first match at the World Cup hosted by Germany. That led to them being Meanwhile, Welsh rival And speaking to Advertisement READ MORE IN DARTS The 30-year-old said: "I knew when we lost it was going to be big news, but people forget — we never once said we were going to win it with ease. That was everyone else. "It was gutting to see so many English fans happy to see us lose. The Germans would never do that to their players. It was incredibly tough, especially for Luke. "I could tell by his face he didn't enjoy it. I kind of relished it, but he's still young to that. It seems to have carried on more than I expected. "There was a lot of talk about us not being a team. But from the horse's mouth — we were a team. Advertisement Most read in Darts BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "We didn't arrive at the same time because I told Luke, 'Do your own thing.' I get there four hours before, he gets there two. I need more practice, he doesn't. "We sat right next to each other at the table — me, my manager, my girlfriend. He sat right beside me. Gerwyn Price runs rule over Luke Littler and Luke Humphries' England's World Cup of Darts flop "So that stuff about not being a team was not true. We get along really well. It just didn't happen for us." Advertisement Humphries was then asked whether he would be teaming up with He continued: "You'd have to ask him. I think it's so prestigious that he will. Whether he goes back for Euro Tours? That's not for me to answer. "I'm sure he'll answer that for you, but that wasn't a nice environment for him. I don't think he enjoyed it. "He deserves some slack — he's done nothing wrong. He's a great pioneer for the sport. We should celebrate him, not whistle at him." Advertisement But after a break away from the oche, both returned for the US Darts Masters in Madison Square Garden, New York. On his break, Humphries added: "Yeah, I feel good. It was a good time in Benidorm — great fun. I didn't even think about darts once, to be honest. "It was great to just get away, enjoy myself, and not have to worry about the constant stress of darts." Humphries got back to winning ways across the pond with emphatic wins over Stowe Buntz, Danny Lauby, Price and a tough match against Advertisement
The Sun
29-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
‘He didn't enjoy it' – Luke Humphries doesn't know if Luke Littler will return to Germany after World Cup of Darts abuse
LUKE LITTLER may not return to play in the World Cup Darts, according to Luke Humphries. The Nuke and Cool Hand suffered a disastrous last 16 exit from the tournament earlier this month, despite the pair - ranked as the top two in the world - being heavy favourites. 3 3 3 The English duo were defeated by the German team of Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko in their first match at the World Cup hosted by Germany. That led to them being called out for "letting their country down" by darts icon Dennis Priestley, who suggested they did not deserve their MBE honours awarded just before the tournament began. Meanwhile, Welsh rival Gerwyn Price questioned England 's team spirit. And speaking to Online Darts, World No1 Humphries has now lifted the lid on the fallout behind the scenes and revealed his team-mate's feelings on the tournament. The 30-year-old said: "I knew when we lost it was going to be big news, but people forget — we never once said we were going to win it with ease. That was everyone else. "It was gutting to see so many English fans happy to see us lose. The Germans would never do that to their players. It was incredibly tough, especially for Luke. "I could tell by his face he didn't enjoy it. I kind of relished it, but he's still young to that. It seems to have carried on more than I expected. "There was a lot of talk about us not being a team. But from the horse's mouth — we were a team. "We didn't arrive at the same time because I told Luke, 'Do your own thing.' I get there four hours before, he gets there two. I need more practice, he doesn't. "We sat right next to each other at the table — me, my manager, my girlfriend. He sat right beside me. Gerwyn Price runs rule over Luke Littler and Luke Humphries' England's World Cup of Darts flop "So that stuff about not being a team was not true. We get along really well. It just didn't happen for us." Humphries was then asked whether he would be teaming up with Littler, 18, to have another go next year, but explained it was a decision only the world champion could make. He continued: "You'd have to ask him. I think it's so prestigious that he will. Whether he goes back for Euro Tours? That's not for me to answer. "I'm sure he'll answer that for you, but that wasn't a nice environment for him. I don't think he enjoyed it. "He deserves some slack — he's done nothing wrong. He's a great pioneer for the sport. We should celebrate him, not whistle at him." But after a break away from the oche, both returned for the US Darts Masters in Madison Square Garden, New York. On his break, Humphries added: "Yeah, I feel good. It was a good time in Benidorm — great fun. I didn't even think about darts once, to be honest. "It was great to just get away, enjoy myself, and not have to worry about the constant stress of darts." Humphries got back to winning ways across the pond with emphatic wins over Stowe Buntz, Danny Lauby, Price and a tough match against Nathan Aspinall, who beat Littler en route to the final.
BreakingNews.ie
15-06-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney clinch first Darts World Cup crown for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland won the World Cup of Darts for the first time by upsetting two-time champions Wales in a thrilling last-leg shootout in Frankfurt. Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney – the tournament's fourth seeds – broke down in tears after holding their nerve to make history with a 10-9 defeat of Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price. Advertisement NORTHERN IRELAND ARE THE 2025 @BetVictor WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS 🏆 Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney have done it... Northern Ireland win the World Cup for the very first time!! What a final as they beat Wales 10-9 👏 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) June 15, 2025 Having trailed 7-5, the triumphant pair hit back to lead 9-7, only to miss four match darts for the title at 9-8, allowing Clayton and Price – champions in 2020 and 2023 – to force a decider. Rock and Gurney, who threw first in the final leg, regained their composure to clinch the title before sinking to their knees during an emotional embrace.
