Clive Shell
| Full name | Robert Clive Shell | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 9 September 1947 | ||
| Place of birth | Pyle, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 6 January 2012 (aged 64) | ||
| Occupation(s) | schoolmaster | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Scrum half | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| Pyle RFC Aberavon RFC Barbarian F.C. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1973 | Wales | 1 | (0) |
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 1984–87 | Aberavon RFC | ||
Clive Shell (9 September 1947 – 6 January 2012)[1] was a Welsh international rugby union player. Shell made his debut for the Wales national rugby union team on 10 November 1973 against Australia where he kissed the ball on his first touch while putting the ball into a scrum. A scrum-half, he played club rugby for Aberavon RFC.[2]
Shell was one of several scrum halves of that era who were in competition with Gareth Edwards for a place in the Welsh side. Although the Australia encounter was his one and only cap, Shell played for Wales against Tonga (1974). In 1977, during a Welsh Cup semi-final, Shell received a broken jaw playing against Edwards and Cardiff RFC.
Shell formed a club half back partnership with John Bevan who was also capped by Wales. He captained Aberavon RFC in the seasons of 1977–78, 1978–79 and 1979–80 before retiring.
A school teacher by profession, Shell went on to coach Aberavon during the early 1980s. In 2007, he "narrowly avoided jail" on a drink-driving offence.[3]
Shell's death was announced 6 January 2012.[4]