A former rugby league top points scorer – whose brother is among Super League’s biggest names – has broken through into darts’ elite level.
Ex-Rochdale Hornets and Swinton Lions back Carl Sneyd will play on the Professional Darts Corporation’s (PDC) ProTour for the next two years after securing a tour card at the UK qualifying school.
A tour card provides automatic entry to the PDC’s Players Championship events. Cards last for two seasons and only 128 are available each year.
Sneyd, from Oldham, is older brother of Warrington Wolves half-back Marc Sneyd, who last year won the Lance Todd Trophy, as Challenge Cup man of the match, for a record-equalling third time.
Carl Sneyd, 38, was National League Two’s leading points scorer in 2009, with 236 from 11 tries and 96 goals.
He joined Swinton the following season and later had a spell with Oldham before switching to darts after injury forced him to hang up his boots.
Also among the latest batch of PDC card holders is Castleford Tigers fan Tom Sykes. The 33-year-old is nicknamed ‘The Castleford Tiger’ and plays in the Super League club’s famous amber and black colours.
A third new card holder, Charlie Manby from West Yorkshire, is a Wakefield Trinity fan and the trio’s Q School success strengthens connections between rugby league and darts.
Former world champion Gerwyn Price played the 13-a-side code for South Wales Scorpions and the amateur Welsh Dragonhearts before changing sports.
Michael Smith, the 2023 world title winner, is a lifelong St Helens fan. His cousin Paige Travis won the Women’s Challenge Cup three times with Saints and was at NRL Women’s side Parramatta Eels last season.
Reigning world king Luke Littler supports his hometown club Warrington Wolves, who named their stadium after him for one game last year, while former Premier League runner-up Joe Cullen is a Wigan Warriors fan.
Top Sky Sports darts commentators Stuart Pyke and Rod Studd also work on the broadcaster’s Super League coverage.
Check out the latest episode of The Serious About Rugby League Show on our YouTube channel here.
