Watch the third round meeting of Gerwyn Price vs John Henderson live on Sky Sports Darts
Friday 27 December 2019 18:04, UK
Gerwyn Price is eyeing up an assault on the Sid Waddell Trophy, and true to form, he will not be found wanting for belief.
That has always been ingrained in his psyche, given his background as a professional rugby player. Being competitive is in his nature.
"I think I'm a natural competitor," he said. "If I play darts, rugby, football, golf - which I'm rubbish at - or snooker, I just want to win at everything. If someone is better than me then I will practice and make myself better.
"I just think I've got that determination to make myself a better player, no matter what sport I play."
If someone is better than me then I will practice and make myself better.
His hours at the oche are clearly paying off. His stunning defence of the Grand Slam title last month showed he belongs at the very top of the game, and he backed that up with an eye-catching run at the Players Championship Finals, falling short against Michael van Gerwen in the decider.
But the Iceman did not always envisage that he would be an elite darts player. Indeed, growing up his full focus was on the oval ball.
"I always played rugby all the way through school through all my age grades, county and then played for Wales up until U20s," he explained.
"I played semi-pro for Cross Keys and Neath, I had a short spell up in Glasgow for six or seven weeks while the Six Nations was on and then I came back to Cross Keys. I then finished off at Neath.
"I used to play football for Markham as well and I had a chance one time to go down to Cardiff City, but I was like 'nah, I don't want to play football!'. I always wanted to play rugby all the way through school and thought that's what I was going to do."
In many ways, he is a product of his environment.
"I've always grown up in the village that I'm living in now, in Markham," he explained. "I grew up in the little cul de sac up in Mountain View, which I think was good for me as a young kid.
"There was never much traffic and I could always get out and about and cause a bit of mischief! I don't think I'd ever move too far from this village, as I hold this village quite close to my heart really.
"Me and Bethan have been together since I was 17 and she was 18. She's been on the journey, through the rugby, through everything and now going through into darts I think she gets more nervous than I do!
"I think we were 21 and 22 when we had our first daughter, Emily, then a couple of years later had our second daughter, Bethany. It's been a nice village and I think the girls enjoy it as well."
Price felt he was destined to go right to the top with his rugby career, but things did not go his way.
"I thought I could have got a full cap and definitely think I was good enough, but I just think you need a bit of luck along the way," he continued. "Obviously, there were other good players, but there was also some kind of politics around it as well I think.
"I didn't fulfil my rugby potential. I used to like to go out when I was younger. I would go out and have a few beers and then go training on a Sunday, which probably wasn't the best thing to do.
"I learnt from that you can't mess about when you want to be a full-time professional and that's why now I give it a 100 per cent in darts, because I sort of missed the boat playing rugby."
The path he has chosen has not worked out too badly. Back-to-back Grand Slam titles have rocketed him into the world's elite, all that's missing now is a run at the Ally Pally.
He came through his second-round match against William O'Connor last Thursday night, but was not fully at ease up on the big stage.
"That's the most uncomfortable conditions I ever played in," he said after the 3-2 victory.
"I played in the Matchplay a couple of years ago and that was hot
"From the first minute I came out, I just didn't feel comfortable.
"A win is a win. I'll have a good Christmas and hopefully come back a lot stronger.
"I'm going to practice in the sauna somewhere! It's absolutely boiling out here and I was really uncomfortable. I got through and I'm happy."
On Friday evening he faces John Henderson, as he looks to reach the 16 at the Ally Pally for the first time.
Judging by the Iceman's form of late, all bets will be off if he gets past him.
Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. The action is on Sky Sports Darts with live coverage from Alexandra Palace until the final on New Year's Day.
