PREVIEW World Cup of Darts – Northern Ireland: Can Rock and Gurney go back-to-back at the World Cup of Darts?

As the reigning world champion, Northern Ireland travels this week to the World Cup of Darts. The team of Daryl Gurney and Josh Rock defends in Frankfurt the title they sensationally claimed twelve months ago. Whereas Northern Ireland was for years consistently represented by Brendan Dolan and a rotating partner, things have changed since Rock’s arrival. The young star injected fresh energy, added scoring power, and ultimately delivered Northern Irish darts history.

For the second consecutive year, Rock and Gurney form the Northern Irish duo. Thanks to last year’s title, they also rank among the top favorites for another deep run. As the third seed, they can again skip the group stage and enter directly in the knockout phase. That automatically makes Northern Ireland one of the teams to watch.

The 2025 edition marked an absolute high point for Northern Irish darts. For years, Brendan Dolan was a mainstay of the national team. From 2010 through 2024 he was an ever-present member of the squad. Last year, however, he lost his spot to Josh Rock, a decision that proved immediately golden. Rock and Gurney opened their campaign with a convincing 8-2 win over South Africa. They then swept aside Ireland (8-5) and Germany (8-1) to reach the final.

In that decider, a daunting assignment awaited against the Welsh top duo Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton. It became a true thriller in which both nations gave almost nothing away. In the end, Northern Ireland edged it 10-9 and made history by winning the World Cup of Darts for the first time. Rock, in particular, made a huge impression. In the final he posted an individual average of nearly 108 and accounted for no fewer than nine of the eleven Northern Irish maximums. It underlined how vital he was during the title run.

This year, too, much will hinge on Rock’s performances. Now an established elite player, he had a busy first half of the year after cementing himself among the world’s best in 2025. His strong form earned him a first invitation to the Premier League Darts. However, he endured a difficult start there. During the first seven league nights he did not win a single match. Still, there was a genuine high point. On Night Two in his hometown Belfast, Rock threw a nine-darter, bringing the crowd to its feet and showcasing his class once more.

After that tough opening phase, he seemed to find his rhythm. Between league nights eight and eleven he won his quarterfinal four times in a row, picking up valuable points. That surge, however, proved short-lived. In the last five league nights, Rock lost his opening match each time, ultimately finishing last with eight points.

Judging by his overall form, Rock may look slightly less strong than a year ago. Yet there are still plenty of signs that he performs superbly on the big stages. In May he claimed a Euro Tour title, just as in the previous season. He also reached two Euro Tour quarterfinals and one quarterfinal in the Players Championship cycle. Results on the Pro Tour therefore remain somewhat inconsistent.

On television tournaments, however, Rock continues to excel. After reaching the last 16 at the World Darts Championship, he made the quarterfinals of the World Masters and even the semifinals of the UK Open. Those results show that he often finds his best game when it matters most.

For Rock, the World Cup of Darts is so far a tournament filled only with good memories. On his 2025 debut, he immediately helped Northern Ireland to the world title.

Not just the final, but his entire tournament was of exceptional quality. Across the week, Rock averaged 102.42. That figure was almost twenty points higher than his partner Gurney’s average and shows how significant his contribution was to Northern Ireland’s success.

While Rock provides the explosiveness, Daryl Gurney plays a different role within the team. The former world number three is no longer part of the absolute elite, but he has hovered steadily between twentieth and thirtieth in the world rankings for several years. That makes him a fixture in the chasing pack.

His season has been marked by striking consistency. Gurney rarely loses his opening match straight away, but at the same time he also does not often go really deep in tournaments anymore.

One exception was the Austrian Darts Open in Graz, where he reached the semi-finals in May. On the floor he also played eighteen of the twenty Players Championship events. In those he made one quarter-final and twice reached the last sixteen.

A similar pattern appears on the Euro Tour. He often goes out in the last 32. Those results perfectly reflect his current position in the world rankings.

At the World Cup of Darts, Gurney brings a wealth of experience. Since 2016 he has been an ever-present in the Northern Ireland team. On his first appearance he immediately reached the semi-finals, but the years that followed brought disappointing results for Northern Ireland.

That picture changed completely only with Rock’s arrival. Although Rock was clearly the most dominant player last year, Gurney’s contribution should not be underestimated. While Rock often did the heavy scoring, it was Gurney who hit the doubles at key moments.

That combination proved highly effective and turned Northern Ireland into a very hard team to beat.

Northern Ireland’s greatest strength may well be their teamwork. The understanding between Rock and Gurney is excellent. Both players get on remarkably well off the stage too. They regularly travel to tournaments together, and at Players Championship events the two Northern Irishmen are often seen side by side.

That natural connection visibly translates to the stage. Where some nations struggle with internal tensions or contrasting styles, Northern Ireland seem to draw energy from their partnership.

The big question, of course, is whether Northern Ireland can defend their title. The nation is not the outright favorite. That status clearly belongs to England, who may be sending the strongest duo ever to the World Cup of Darts with Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.

Behind them, however, Northern Ireland are firmly among the challengers. The other traditional powerhouses also have their doubts. Wales must do without Gerwyn Price. Scotland do have Gary Anderson, but his form is not optimal. The Netherlands travel with Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen, but there too there is no sign of peak form at the moment.

Northern Ireland also benefit from their seeding. As the third seeds, they land in the same half as the Netherlands after the draw for the knockouts. That means Rock and Gurney can only meet top favourites England in a potential final. That opens the door.