Apprentice beats master as Josh Rock compares Rob Cross bond to Taylor and Lewis: “Rob’s taught me a lot in this game over the last couple of years”
With a dominant victory, Josh Rock once again showed he has firmly broken into the absolute elite of darts. In a charged clash against Rob Cross — not only a former world champion but also a mentor and close friend — the Northern Irishman displayed maturity, class, and control.The result was emphatic, the numbers impressive, and above all, the way Rock approached the match underscored his growth as a top player as he reaches the final day at the Winmau World Masters.
Clash between pupil and teacher
The meeting with Cross in the second round of the Winmau World Masters 2026 carried a special weight. Rock aptly described it as a duel between “the student and the teacher, you know what I mean, with Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis.” “Rob’s taught me a lot in this game over the last couple of years, obviously at the same stable, events and stuff,” Rock said afterwards. “People believe massively he’s helped me mentally throughout the years. He’s very, very good when it comes to talking and when it comes to playing.”
That mental guidance proved invaluable. Although Rock admitted the match became emotionally difficult after the first two sets, he managed to stay professional. “It was hard, but at the same time I’m up there doing the job,” he said matter-of-factly. And he did. With a convincing 4-1 win and tonnes up on average, he left no doubt about the balance of power at that moment.
Where Rock struggled with stage matches in earlier years, little of that remains now. He is very open about it himself. “Everybody knows two years ago I struggled with the TV, three years ago I struggled with the TV just to get going,” he acknowledged. That has completely changed. His recent Premier League selection has played a key role. “Obviously now I’m a different person now in the Premier League, which makes me feel more better for myself. So I think that drives me more because I know I’m one of the elite players now.”
That mindset is liberating, but also motivating. Rock emphasized that his mentality has completely shifted. “Yeah, massively changed my mindset. As I said, I’m one of the elite players this year, so I’m a different mindset than everybody else.” Where he might once have felt he had to prove himself, he now steps on stage with the conviction that he belongs there. “I go into every game in my head… coming back a month off, going into every game and saying you are one of the elite players, you know what you should be doing. I’m performing what I should be doing and what I’m happy about.”
Found the right balance
He now seems to have found that balance. Together with his management, Rock has set up a tight but realistic schedule. He skipped some Pro Tours and European Tours to avoid overload. “Whenever I’ve got the phone call, obviously the day of the selection, my manager came over the next day and he’d done the whole calendar. I think we’ve done it nice just for myself obviously. A bit of time at home… I’ve missed a couple of Pro Tours, missed a couple of Europeans. But I think obviously for good reasons for myself. I don’t burn myself out and stuff. I know I’m 24 but in this game there’s a lot at odds. I need to obviously cope the way I can.”
Rob Cross’s role in that development can hardly be overstated. From the moment Rock came onto the Tour, Cross took him under his wing. “Rob took me under his wing, gave me all the tips in the world. Obviously he’s a world champion, World Matchplay champion, European champion, played in the Premier League six or seven times. So he knows what it’s like to be an elite player. Obviously before the Premier League call up, the amount of stuff that he talked to me about was phenomenal from a world champion perspective.” Just before the Premier League selection was announced, Cross was among the first to message him. “Well obviously he was one of the first people to text me saying ‘well done, get the Premier League sorted.’ That was very nice obviously to hear that from him.”
Even so, Rock doesn’t feel extra pressure to justify his Premier League spot. “No, I just go up there and play the Irish the way I know I can do… I’ve got nothing to prove, I’m in the Premier League for a reason.” That conviction also shapes how opponents approach him. Rock is aware he is now seen as someone you have to beat. “Well it could do obviously. They’re wanting to beat the best players in the world… I have to change my mindset but I know I’m one of the best players in the world for a reason.”
New challenges
Rock expects new challenges particularly on the Pro Tour. “People you don’t play often enough… it’s going to be very difficult because you’ve never played before.” Yet he doesn’t see that as a disadvantage. On the contrary, his weekly battles with the very best in the Premier League Darts have hardened him.
Technically, Rock was especially pleased with his finishing. Where he struggled on the doubles a day earlier (22%), he doubled that rate against Cross to 44%. “I know I’m a big scorer, but finishing is always one of my letdowns in the game. So assessing my performance, yeah, I think I played well.”
With the quarterfinals and finals day in sight, the inevitable question arises: how close is Josh Rock to his first major individual title? His answer was telling. “As Wayne Mardle said, it’s like a bingo card. Just waiting to go off. I’m matured enough, I know, to win titles. But we’re the best players on the board for a reason. Obviously it’s difficult to win titles but I’m up to the task.”
Rock is also thinking practically. He sees it as an advantage that he plays early in the evening in the Premier League. “Obviously you’re first on, you know you’re on at about 7.15, 7.20… that’s a bit of an advantage in my perspective, to obviously know when to play them.” He remained unmoved about his next opponent, Luke Littler. “It doesn’t matter in the game anymore. We’re all the best players on the board for a reason. I’ll just go up there and do my best to do the job.”
Finally, Rock spoke about the reactions to his Premier League selection. Although many had him pencilled in, he could barely believe it himself. “Oh man, it was weird seeing obviously on TikTok and Instagram and Facebook and stuff… everybody was obviously predicting the Premier League… I still never believed I was in the Premier League. And then I got the phone call.”
