Wright will play through the pain barrier

By Phil Lanning

EXCLUSIVE

PETER WRIGHT will play through the pain barrier to continue his bid for a first Premier League title. 

The World Champion has been hit with a double whammy of gallstone and back injury issues, the latter forcing him to pull out of a Euro event on Sunday.

But Wright, 52, went straight to hospital on his return to the UK and will carry on playing tomorrow night (Thursday) after extensive physio and a course of pain killers.

He said: “It’s been a really hard couple of weeks, definitely. I’ve not been anywhere near 100 per cent this month at all.

“That obviously makes competing really tough. It’s hard to focus on throwing and also the pain alters the way you stand and move about the oche. 

“The back issue on top of the gallstones was the last straw for me in Germany at the weekend. I needed a break and just to make sure there was nothing more serious going on.

“But I feel better now that I’ve been checked out by the docs. I will have to look after myself a bit now, rest as much as I can between events. 

“The trouble is with the Premier League and Pro Tours, the tournaments come thick and fast.”

Wright faces Joe Cullen in Nottingham and hopes can just concentrate on the games ahead.

He added: “I’m satisfied with being second in the table right now. It’s been a bit up and down, I missed my chances against Jonny (Clayton) last week. But fair play to him, he punished me. 

“It’s just a case of trying to pick up points every week. I think the last two weeks I’ve not felt great on stage. If I can focus on the darts, I think I win matches.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.