Gerwyn Price say regaining the world number one spot is not top of his list of priorities.

Former world champion Price could leapfrog his rival after the World Matchplay in Blackpool.

He reached the second round on Monday night after defeating Martin Schindler 10-8, while Wright is defending champion.

Price told the PA news agency: “Obviously I’ve been there, been world number one and world champion both at the same time. It’s not my initial plan to get back there.

“If you start thinking about it too much and start chasing it, I think things become a little bit harder than what they should be.

“So I just concentrate on every game as it comes. If the world number one spot comes back then I’m happy. I’d be thrilled to get back there, but it’s not my main target this year.

“I obviously want to do well in this Matchplay, I need to defend the Grand Slam, do well in the worlds – there’s a few other targets other than the number one spot.

“But if those targets come off, the number one spot comes back with it.”

Neath

Price, a former professional rugby player who won the Welsh Challenge Cup with Neath in 2012, reached the pinnacle of his darts career when lifting the world crown in 2021.

The former Wales Under-21 hooker, who quit rugby in 2015 to concentrate on darts, revealed he prefers the individual sport, but said winning trophies as a team player cannot be topped.

He said: “I think darts is a very selfish sport and you do become more selfish.

“You have to be. When I’m on that stage it’s all about me and that’s the way you have to think.

“I like to play in team sports, but I prefer it when I’m playing an individual sport.

“But I wouldn’t say my darts trophies mean more, no. I’m a rugby player through and through and prefer winning trophies as a team player, a rugby player.

“I like the individual sport as in darts, but as far as trophies go, I think the rugby trophies probably mean a little bit more.”

Price took time out from practice at the Winter Gardens to promote the Bullseye Maths scheme, which the PDC launched in February.

The scheme is designed to help improve the numeracy levels in primary school children through darts-based maths games and Price took part in a session with 10 children.

“For me, I don’t even count, it’s just repetition, but I don’t like to tell the kids that,” he added. “They need to add up and take away.

“It’s been fun, a good crack. Some of the kids are good players, but it’s mainly about making their maths a lot better.”