PDC World Championship: Gerwyn Price drops rugby for darts

Gerwyn Price played for Neath and rugby league side South Wales Scorpions

Gerwyn Price is relishing his PDC World Championship debut after ditching his career as a professional rugby player to concentrate on darts.

Price played as a hooker for Cross Keys and had a loan spell with Glasgow last season.

The 29-year-old is now focused on darts and will face 2014 runner-up Peter Wright in the first round.

"I've really got a decent future ahead of me in darts rather than rugby," he said.

"It didn't really work out with me professionally in rugby. I was only with Glasgow for a couple of weeks on loan and I was only playing Premiership semi-professional.

"I've played only this year with the darts and lived up to it with a couple of the big names.

"I went to qualifying school in January and was lucky enough to get through on the second day and win my tour card.

"I had to make a decision whether to stick with the rugby or go with darts and I think it's gone with darts now."

Gerwyn Price in action for Neath against Llanelli in 2011

Price finished 39th on the Order of Merit to claim the eighth of 16 places that were on offer to non-qualified players for the PDC World Championship.

Scotland's Wright, Price's first round opponent on Friday, lost 7-4 to Michael van Gerwen in last year's final.

"I'm a little bit nervous but I just can't wait and looking forward to Friday night," Price added.

"I'm on the Pro Tour and mixing it with the top players week in week out. Since January I've come a million miles with my game.

"The top players have brought my game forward a lot."

Price is one of three Welsh representatives at this year's PDC World Championship, which begins on Thursday at London's Alexandra Palace.

Former BDO World champion Mark Webster will face Dutchman Ron Meulenkamp on Sunday, with Jamie Lewis playing sixth seed James Wade later that day.