Friday 2nd March 2012

ENGLAND vs AUSTRALIA

James Wade & Terry Jenkins   Vs    Simon Whitlock & Paul Nicholson

Tickets:

Standing £12.50 plus (2.45 booking fee)
Seating £20.00 plus (2.95 booking fee)

Hoburne Bashley – Forest Room – Sway Road
New Milton – Hampshire – BH25 5QS

Doors Open 6pm

Raymond van Barneveld hopes to bounce back from a disappointing World Championship by retaining the World Cup of Darts for The Netherlands.

‘Barney’ won the inaugural tournament in 2010 with Co Stompe, and believes that he can repeat the feat this weekend with Vincent van der Voort.

He said: “I think it will be harder this year because it is a straight knockout now. If you lose a game you’re out so we will have to be very focused and keep our concentration, but I’m sure we can do well. There are a lot of great teams but I think we are one of the pairs that are in with a great chance.”

The five-time World Champion wants to recover from his first round exit at the Ally Pally in style by claiming the first major title of 2012.

He said: “I probably didn’t practise enough in the last month or so before the World Championship. I played in a lot of exhibitions but not enough floor tournaments. I’m now practising every day again because it’s important for me to come back with a bang. It’s unfortunate that you can’t get ranking points for the World Cup but it’s still a televised tournament and I would love to win it again. I’m so proud to play for my country and to win a title for Holland is a fantastic achievement so I hope we can do it again.”

The Dutchman doesn’t feel that a change in partner will have any bearing on his chances of winning the tournament and he believes that teamwork is the key to success.

He said: “I’ve played with Vincent many times and we get along well, which is important. We will go there together and practise together. We are a team and that is how we will approach the competition. Our preparation is good, I know which doubles he likes to be left on and he knows which ones I like. We are not going as individuals, we will do everything together, talk a lot and hopefully that will show in our performances. Vincent is an ideal teammate.”

Van Barneveld is confident that he will return to his brilliant best, and hopes he can prove his critics wrong in the World Cup and the upcoming Premier League.

He added: “I feel fantastic at the moment. To retain the World Cup would be a fantastic start to the year and I am over the moon to be given a wildcard for the Premier League. I’m working hard to get in top shape. I played quite well in Benidorm last weekend, my scoring was fantastic.

“With a good performance at the World Cup I can get my confidence back, and then within a couple of weeks of the Premier League the old ‘Barney’ will be back. Some people may have written me off after the World Championship, but I believe in my own ability. Trust me, it’s still there, it hasn’t gone and I will make the ‘Barney Army’ proud of me again.”

By Chris Murphy

James Wade performed consistently well in the first two Players Championship events of the year, showing encouraging form ahead of the 2012 Premier League.

The Machine stormed through to the semi-final of Sunday’s Spanish Darts Classic before being edged out by eventual winner Michael Smith. The world number Three also reached the last 16 of the Spanish Darts Trophy on Saturday.

Wade produced two 6-0 whitewashes en route to the last four on Sunday. He also claimed an impressive 6-1 victory over reigning Players Champion Kevin Painter.

The seven-time major winner hit a brilliant 161 finish in the semi-final, but was unable to see off in-form youngster Smith, who won 6-4 before beating Justin Pipe in the final.

The Machine will now focus his attention on preparing for the opening night of the Premier League in Manchester on Thursday 9^th February.

By Chris Murphy

Paul Nicholson carried his excellent floor form into 2012 with a run to the final of the Spanish Darts Trophy on Saturday.

The Asset saw off Co Stompe, Steve Beaton and Mark Walsh before losing out to Justin Pipe in the final.

The world number 17 was again denied by the eventual winner on Sunday, as Michael Smith overcame the Aussie on his way to victory in the Spanish Darts Classic.

Nicholson’s form in the first two Players Championship events of the year was encouraging and excellent preparation for the World Cup of Darts, which starts next Friday.

The Asset, who is in pursuit of his second major title, will represent Australia with Simon Whitlock in Hamburg.

By Chris Murphy

Nicholson with Hulk Hogan

It really was ‘clobberin time’ for Paul Nicholson on Thursday night, when the bad boy of darts met some of his heroes at TNA Wrestling’s Impact event at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham.

‘The Asset’ is renowned for bringing his passion for wrestling into darts. His CM Punk walk-on antics have caused something of a stir and his attitude as a sports-entertainer has helped bring another dimension to the game.

Nicholson watched on as some of his favourite wrestlers oozed the charisma and bravado that have become synonymous with him.

Top of the bill was wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, who was making his return to the UK after 18 years.

He was joined by some of the sports’ other superstars including Sting, who made his last ever UK appearance, Kurt Angle, AJ Styles and World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode.

Nicholson watched the action from ringside and was over the moon to meet some of his idols backstage.

He said: “The night was amazing. To see so many legends in one ring at one time was spine chilling. Even the wrestlers were humbled. To meet the people and the characters was the best. Meeting Hulk Hogan was a lifetime dream satisfied, and then to meet Sting and Kurt Angle too was absolutely mind blowing.”

The Asset will retake centre stage next week when he represents Australia in the World Cup of Darts in pursuit of his second major title.

Before travelling to Hamburg, Nicholson will be fighting it out in Benidorm this weekend in rounds one and two of the Players Championship.

By Chris Murphy

MODUS are delighted to represent more exciting talent in the form of the two highest ranked players in Spain, Antonio Alcinas and Carlos Rodriguez.

The pair have enjoyed successful careers in the PDC so far and have both defeated some highly ranked opponents over the last few years.

Their most notable scalp came when they joined forces to represent their country in the inaugural World Cup of Darts in 2010, where they beat an England team containing the two highest ranked players in the world. They went on to reach the semi-finals of the competition.

Spanish number one Alcinas has been playing his trade in the PDC since 2010 and has already appeared in eight major tournaments.

His most recent televised appearance came in the 2012 World Championship, where he was unlucky to lose to eventual runner up Andy Hamilton after posting the third highest average of the first round.

The 32 year old, who is nicknamed El Dartador, is also an established soft-tip darts player and he won the 2010 Soft-Tip World Championship.

He said: “I want to thank MODUS for trusting me, and helping me in my professional darts career. I will give the best I have and I hope I won’t disappoint them. Once again thank you MODUS and I hope this will be the beginning of a long and successful relationship together, starting in Benidorm.”

Rodriguez, who is nicknamed The Assassin, joined the PDC in 2007 and has appeared at six televised majors.

The Spanish number two, who is the same age as his compatriot, triumphed at the 2007 Gibraltar Open.

Rodriguez said: “I am very happy with signing for MODUS. I appreciate all the support and trust they have placed in me, enabling me to fulfil my dream as a full time professional darts player. This is a great opportunity to be among the best players in the world and the best dart managing company. I can assure you that it is an opportunity that I will not miss.”

Alcinas and Rodriguez will be in action at the Players Championship in Benidorm this weekend and will once again form the Spanish team for the 2012 World Cup, which takes place next week.

MODUS are excited at the prospect of working with both players as the PDC continues to expand across Europe.

By Chris Murphy

Mark Webster is sponsoring 2012 PDC Youth World Championship finalist James Hubbard, who will be managed by MODUS.

The 19 year old will face Michael van Gerwen in his pursuit of the prestigious title later this year.

Hubbard’s run to the final, coupled with his impressive form on the youth tour, has led to him being given a place on the professional tour for 2012.

He has already appeared at a televised major tournament. He took on Phil Taylor in the 2011 Grand Slam of Darts.

Hubbard is delighted to be under the guidance of Webster and MODUS. He said: “This means everything. For a player like Mark Webster to have such faith in me is fantastic and it’s great to be associated with him. Being sponsored and managed takes a lot of pressure off me and means I can concentrate completely on playing darts.

“To be given the opportunity to do this as a full time job is a dream come true. I had been working with my dad as a painter and decorator but was always itching to get home and practice. To be able to do it everyday and compete as a professional most weekends is an amazing opportunity and it’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”

MODUS are thrilled to be working with such a talented young player and hope to help him follow in the footsteps of current Under-21 World Champion Arron Monk.

He added: “Being with MODUS will no doubt help me in my preparation for the youth final. They have the right people around to give me advice about playing in front of such a huge crowd and I hope to deliver the goods on the night. Mark has been there and done it and I’ve known Arron Monk since we were about eight years old and our careers have mirrored each other’s, so it would be nice to go up there and follow in his footsteps in that respect too.”

Hubbard will play in the Youth World Championship final on the night of the Premier League final at the O2 Arena in May.

By Chris Murphy

World number three James Wade is sponsoring exciting prospect Chris Aubrey for 2012, enabling the youngster to compete as a full time professional.

MODUS are pleased to provide management for the 20 year old, who is currently ranked seventh on the PDC Youth Tour. He has enormous potential and is one of the brightest young talents in darts.

Aubrey hopes to emulate the success of his sponsor who has won seven major titles, making him the second most successful player in the history of the PDC.

Aubrey said: “It means the world to me to be sponsored by James. For somebody of his calibre to think that highly of me is a fantastic feeling. I am over the moon about it. It means everything to be sponsored these days and I’m very happy to be managed by MODUS. It is a brilliant reward for a good year and I want to go out and play well and do everybody proud.

“Having this kind of support spurs me on even more and I think I can achieve as much as anybody else. My aim this year is to win a youth title and qualify for some more major tournaments, hopefully including the World Championship. I can’t thank James and MODUS enough because this deal will give me the freedom to fulfil my ambitions.”

By Chris Murphy

Andy Jenkins ensured that he will take his career as a professional darts player past the twenty year mark, by securing his tour card at the PDC qualifying school.

Jenkins faced the possibility of not taking part on the professional circuit this year after dropping out of the top 64, but Rocky showed his class at the Barnsley Metrodome with consistent performances over four days to retain his card.

The 40 year old finished third out of over 200 competitors in the Qualifying School Order of Merit. That high placing means he will retain his tour card for two more years.

Jenkins, who has been with MODUS for 15 years, proved his worth by progressing through an extremely strong field of players, winning 12 matches out of 16.

He will be aiming to take that form onto the tour in the coming months as he bids to climb back up the world rankings.

By Chris Murphy

Simon Whitlock made an appearance at Leyland Paints headquarters earlier today to celebrate the company’s recently agreed sponsorship deal with him and Mark Webster.

The deal with Leyland was announced before the World Championship and Whitlock travelled to West Yorkshire to meet their employees, and spent the day playing darts against the workforce.

The Wizard, who is currently ranked fifth in the world, was only too happy to be involved in the event.

He said: “Sponsorship is so important for us dart players and to be sponsored by a company as big as Leyland is an honour. I’ve enjoyed the day. I met some really nice people and came up against some very good darts players.”

There was an air of excitement at the Birstall venue as Whitlock took to the oche, giving his opponents the chance to win some of his darts, signed memorabilia and other Leyland goodies.

Sharon Hendry, Leyland Marketing Manager was pleased with the success of the day and expressed the company’s pride at sponsoring The Wizard.

She said: “It means everything to have two World Class players associated with Leyland. Both Simon and Mark are fantastic players and the exposure that they give us is brilliant. We’ve already had a taste of that in the recent World Championship, where Simon did exceptionally well to go so far with his injury. It was fabulous for us in terms of the coverage we have already received so early on the sponsorship.

“Today has been a great opportunity for us to formally launch the partnership to the local community and our employees. The response has been tremendous, everyone was really excited to get the opportunity to play against, and have their photo taken with Simon. We are all very grateful and everyone that has met him today commented on how nice he is.”

By Chris Murphy