‘Gun to my head’: Wendell Sailor’s terrifying near death experience

Former NRL and rugby union great Wendell Sailor has shared a wild end-of-season trip story that almost cost him his life.

Wendell Sailor had a hell of a story. Photo: Instagram

Dual-code Australian great Wendell Sailor has shared a harrowing story of a near-death experience on an end of season trip in Bali.

Sailor played 196 matches for the Broncos between 1993 and 2001 where he was part of four premierships before defecting to rugby union for a successful stint where he played 37 matches for the Wallabies, including being the starting right wing in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final.

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But at the end of the 2000 season, Sailor was on top of the world after winning the premiership with the Broncos.

He was also about to embark on a 2000 Rugby League World Cup campaign where the Kangaroos would win a ninth title and Sailor would be the top try scorer with 10.

It was a tour Sailor was lucky to be on however, as survived a terrifying scene in Bali.

Speaking on Triple M’s Rush Hour with Wendell Sailor, Candice Warner and Jude Bolton, the 48-year-old revealed how he had a gun put to his head.

“We went to Bali and let me tell you in 2000, it was a really good Bali trip,” Sailor said.

He explained it was after the Broncos won the premiership and just before the World Cup of that season.

Sailor represented Australia in league and union at the highest level. Photo: Gregg Porteous

Wendell was on top of the world in 2000.

He continued: “If we’re thinking we’re kings of the world, imagine what I’m thinking.

“We’d had three or four days on the piss, we hadn’t slept much, I was rooming with Lote Tuqiri — it was great — we were staying at the Hard Rock Cafe.

“We were at this nightclub that turned into a day club and it’s about six in the morning and I’m walking out with the boys — there was Ben Ikin and Darren Lockyer. Mate, we’re not getting tuktuk’s. I said ‘boys, leave it with me’.

“I saw this Mercedes there and said ‘oi mate, do you know who we are? Mate, c’mon, take us’.

“So this bloke’s standing next to a Mercedes. Anyway, he looks over at me and says ‘what?’ I said: ‘You heard me mate’.

“As he walks over, he puts a gun right up to my head. I’ll tell you, at this stage, I might have been drunk for four but I sobered up pretty quickly. And at that stage, Darren Lockyer puts it in reverse and Ben Ikin steps in and goes ‘mate, mate, sorry mate, we’re from overseas and we didn’t mean to disrespect you’.

“I’ll tell you, I haven’t been back to Bali since. So when you’re overseas, just respect the culture and the country.”

Good advice for everyone.

Co-host Candice Warner commented: “Best story ever”.

Originally published as ‘Gun to my head’: Wendell Sailor’s terrifying near death experience