Josh Rock is currently Down Under for the second leg of the World Series of Darts in Australia. The Northern Irishman is gearing up for the
Australian Darts Masters, but first decided to carve out some time for a very different activity with close friend
Stephen Bunting. The pair paid a visit to the impressive Taronga Zoo in Sydney.
Rock and Bunting are in Australia this week for the
Australian Darts Masters, which will be played in Wollongong on 21.08.2026 and 22.08.2026. Rock is one of eight PDC players taking on the best from Oceania, while Bunting is also in the field.
Before picking up the darts again, the duo headed out in Sydney. Taronga Zoo is one of the city’s best-known attractions and gave them a chance to step out of the darts bubble for a while.
For Rock in particular, it’s a great way to make the most of his time in Australia. The 25-year-old Northern Irishman has established himself as a fixture at the top of the PDC in recent years. In 2026 he impressed again, notably by claiming his second European Tour title at the Austrian Darts Open.
Disappointment for Bunting in New Zealand
Bunting, for his part, has a long World Series history. The Englishman, however, started the Australian swing with a major setback. He suffered a surprise defeat to Raymond Smith at last week’s New Zealand Darts Masters. Bunting lost 6-2 and had to pack his bags early.
Rock did survive the opening round in Auckland but went out in the quarter-finals after a 6-4 loss to James Wade. “Rocky” now turns his focus to Wollongong.
Another strong international line-up awaits there, including Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton and the aforementioned Wade. The first round and quarter-finals are best of 11 legs, the semi-finals are best of 13, and the final is best of 15.
But first, there was time to unwind. Rock and Bunting put the darts aside and enjoyed a day of animal spotting in Sydney. A welcome change of pace before the battle resumes in Wollongong.