ROCK HAS NO REGRETS AHEAD OF BELFAST HOMECOMING
23/02/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
JOSH ROCK has NO REGRETS about winding crowds up ahead of a huge night in Belfast.
‘Rocky’ held up a 3-1 with his fingers, in relation to Rangers beating their city rivals Celtic in their last match up last week in Glasgow.
World No.9 Rock was booed by spectators and then slumped to a 6-2 defeat against Luke Humphries in the Premier League.
Gers-mad Rock insists he would not change a thing as he prepares to face Gian van Veen in his home country on Night Four.
He said: “No, not one bit. I’m really looking forward to Thursday night in Belfast more than any other night in the Premier League.
“I haven’t really gotten excited just yet because it is a couple of days away. I will get excited Wednesday morning because I know Thursday it is all go.
“Hopefully I can sleep well Wednesday night because I think I will be too excited.
“We will see how it is.”
The Antrim thrower is still searching for his first win in the major tournament despite averaging more than 95 in two of his matches.
Rock suffered a Night Two loss to Michael van Gerwen, averaging just 79 after struggling to grip his darts having washed his hands with soap in Antwerp shortly before going on stage.
The 24-year-old insists he has taken it all in his stride and will now use WET WIPES as a precaution.
He added: “I’ve been laughing and joking just before I went up on stage in Glasgow, saying I’ve had wipes alongside my case just for a laugh.
“Obviously just to make a bit of fun of it. Stuff like that doesn’t bother me. I don’t dwell on anything bad.
“I’m usually one to quickly forget everything that is bad. I’ve been playing decently in the Premier League; I just haven’t got the results yet but it will turn.
“The crowd — I love it. If you watch my walk-ons, I’ve been smiling walking down because I know what I am there for in the Premier League.
“Before the tournament I was practising on stage, thinking, wow, this is big.
“It’s an arena that you dream of playing in.”
Image by Taylor Lanning.
