Ben Robb continued his monopoly of the Dartplayers New Zealand Pro Tour with his fifth title of 2026 last weekend, as Russell Joyner celebrated a breakthrough win in Christchurch. The year’s fifth weekend of DPNZ action saw Events 9-10 take place in Canterbury on July 4-5, alongside the DPNZ qualifier for next month’s Australian Darts Masters. […]
Ben Robb continued his monopoly of the Dartplayers New Zealand Pro Tour with his fifth title of 2026 last weekend, as Russell Joyner celebrated a breakthrough win in Christchurch.
The year’s fifth weekend of DPNZ action saw Events 9-10 take place in Canterbury on July 4-5, alongside the DPNZ qualifier for next month’s Australian Darts Masters.
Robb moved closer to securing World Championship qualification with Event Nine success on Saturday, edging past his World Cup partner Jonny Tata 7-6 in a gruelling affair.
Having navigated his way through the round-robin phase with four successive wins, Robb eased through to the quarter-finals with consecutive 4-1 victories over Max Dallimore and Kerrin Robinson respectively.
Following a hard-fought contest against Jaymie Hilton-Jones in the last eight, Robb then swept aside Jordan Bennett-Davies 6-1 in the semi-finals, setting up a blockbuster clash against Tata.
Despite establishing a commanding 5-2 cushion, Robb saw his advantage eroded as Tata won four of the next five legs to force a decider, only for his compatriot to prevail via double ten in the decider.
However, Sunday’s Event Ten spoils were claimed by British-born Joyner, who emerged through a hat-trick of deciding-leg tussles to clinch his maiden DPNZ ProTour title.
Joyner stormed through the round-robin phase with five emphatic victories, conceding just three legs in the process.
His progress was less serene in the knockout stages, as he registered back-to-back 4-3 successes against Darren Herewini and Jack Sheppard – former winners on the DPNZ ProTour.
Joyner then produced an impressive comeback to down Tukina Weko in the quarter-finals, before running out a 6-4 winner against Nicole Regnaud in an attritional semi-final showdown.
This set up a decisive clash against the experienced Mark Cleaver, and in another clash that went the distance, Joyner held his nerve to become the latest first-time winner on the DPNZ circuit.
This weekend’s action also featured the DPNZ Qualifier for the KenoGO Australian Darts Masters, which will take place at the WIN Entertainment Centre on August 21-22.
Robb – who will also feature in the preceding NZ Darts Masters in Auckland – registered another 7-6 victory over Tata to confirm his qualification, crashing in a 14-darter in the decider to book his place in Wollongong.
The field for the upcoming NZ Darts Masters was also confirmed in Christchurch, with Robb and Tata set to be joined on home soil by Cleaver, Kayden Milne and former Tour Card Holder Haupai Puha.
Australian trio Adam Leek, Simon Whitlock and Raymond Smith complete the list of Oceanic representatives, as they go in search of World Series silverware next month.
2026 DartPlayers New Zealand ProTour
Event Nine
Quarter-Finals
Ben Robb 5-3 Jaymie Hilton-Jones
Jordan Bennett-Davies 5-4 Mark Cleaver
Jonny Tata 5-3 John Hurring
Haupai Puha 5-1 Darren Herewini
Semi-Finals
Ben Robb 6-1 Jordan Bennett-Davies
Jonny Tata 6-2 Haupai Puha
Final
Ben Robb 7-6 Jonny Tata
Event 10
Quarter-Finals
Jaymie Hilton-Jones 5-1 Ben Robb
Mark Cleaver 5-1 Kayden Milne
Nicole Regnaud 5-2 Jonny Tata
Russell Joyner 5-3 Tukina Weko
Semi-Finals
Mark Cleaver 6-4 Jaymie Hilton-Jones
Russell Joyner 6-4 Nicole Regnaud
Final
Russell Joyner 7-6 Mark Cleaver
DPNZ Australian Darts Masters Qualifier
Final
Ben Robb 7-6 Jonny Tata