GERWYN Price will take on world number 14 Michael Smith at the BetVictor World Matchplay in Blackpool this weekend.

The 30-year-old former semi-professional rugby player from Markham, ranked 47 on the PDC order of merit and a ProTour qualifier, will take on the Merseysider in his first appearance at the £450,000 tournament at the Winter Gardens.

Phil Taylor is going for an eighth successive win and takes on John Henderson while Gary Anderson, the world champion, Premier League champion and Players Championship Finals winner, opens his challenge to claim a fourth major televised title inside 12 months against former world champion Steve Beaton.

World number one Michael van Gerwen, last year's beaten finalist in Blackpool who has already won The Masters and the UK Open in 2015, takes on fellow Dutchman Benito van de Pas in his first round game.

Number four seed Adrian Lewis, the 2013 runner-up, will play Joe Murnan, while UK Open and Japan Darts Masters finalist Peter Wright opens up against Kim Huybrechts in a mouth-watering first round clash .

World Youth Champion Keegan Brown will make his Winter Gardens debut against Robert Thornton, whilst Simon Whitlock takes on Jelle Klaasen and Raymond van Barneveld matches up with former World Championship runner-up Andy Hamilton in round one.

Draw: Michael van Gerwen v Benito van de Pas, Justin Pipe v Jamie Lewis, Simon Whitlock v Jelle Klaasen, Ian White v Stephen Bunting, Peter Wright v Kim Huybrechts, Mervyn King v Andrew Gilding, Adrian Lewis v Joe Murnan, Michael Smith v Gerwyn Price, Phil Taylor v John Henderson, Raymond van Barneveld v Andy Hamilton, Dave Chisnall v Jamie Caven, Robert Thornton v Keegan Brown, James Wade v Kyle Anderson, Brendan Dolan v Vincent van der Voort, Gary Anderson v Steve Beaton, Terry Jenkins v Mensur Suljovic