Josh Rock Hits Out At Devon Petersen’s On-Stage Antics After Fiery World Cup of Darts Clash “There’s gamesmanship, and then there’s crossing a line — and I think that did.”
Josh Rock Hits Out At Devon Petersen’s On-Stage Antics After Fiery World Cup of Darts Clash
Josh Rock has publicly criticised Devon Petersen for what he described as “disrespectful” behaviour during their World Cup of Darts showdown. Rock and his Northern Ireland teammate Daryl Gurney secured a spot in the quarter-finals after a tense victory over South Africa, but the win was overshadowed by controversy surrounding Petersen’s conduct.
The 24-year-old Rock was clearly unimpressed with Petersen’s actions throughout the match. From the outset, tensions simmered as Petersen engaged in constant chatter on stage — behaviour that seemed to rattle the Northern Irish duo. But it wasn’t just the talking that irritated Rock. A particular incident involving Petersen spilling liquid onto Gurney’s darts case proved to be the final straw.
Reflecting on the match, Rock didn’t mince his words.
“Devon started talking during the bull-up and that got me fired up,” Rock said. “Then he went and poured a bit of drink over Daryl’s case. In my eyes, that’s a wee bit disrespectful. There’s gamesmanship, and then there’s crossing a line — and I think that did.”
Josh Rock Hits Out At Devon Petersen’s On-Stage Antics After Fiery World Cup of Darts Clash
Gurney, too, was vocal about Petersen’s relentless commentary throughout the contest. While the experienced thrower managed to keep his focus, he acknowledged that the South African’s constant chatter could be distracting — especially for his younger partner.
“If Devon got paid for every word he said during a match, he’d be a millionaire,” Gurney joked. “He didn’t stop. Even in the bull pen, he was going at it, and it wound Josh up. That was the worst of it, really.”
Despite the disruption, Gurney admitted that he was able to mentally block out Petersen’s tactics thanks to prior experience playing against him. Still, he acknowledged that some of his own actions played into Petersen’s hands.
“The only time Devon wasn’t talking was when he was actually throwing,” Gurney noted. “But that’s part of his style — he tries to get into your head. I’ve faced him before and I told Josh to expect it. I just tuned it out this time.”
He continued: “Honestly, I shouldn’t have messed around when I had three darts at double 16. And that blind 180 — that was a bit ridiculous. I played into his game at that moment. Devon thrives on that kind of chaos. He’ll go away saying, ‘Look what I made Daryl do.’ But at the end of the day, we got the result we needed, and that’s what matters most.”
With the win, Rock and Gurney have set up an all-Irish showdown in the quarter-finals against neighbours Ireland. The fixture promises to be a fierce battle, with both teams eager to secure a place in the final stages of the tournament.
Ireland’s William O’Connor has already voiced concerns about the playing conditions, particularly the heat on stage. The Limerick-born thrower believes the high temperatures are impacting performance levels.
“It’s too hot up there,” O’Connor said in a recent interview. “It’s difficult to play your best when you’re sweating from the moment you step up. The heat affects your grip, your rhythm — everything.”
As the tournament heats up both figuratively and literally, all eyes will be on the quarter-final clash between these two neighbouring nations. With tensions running high and players not holding back in their post-match comments, the World Cup of Darts continues to serve up drama both on and off the oche.
