Clive Shell Explained

Clive Shell
Birth Name:Robert Clive Shell
Birth Date:9 September 1947
Birth Place:Pyle, Wales
Ru Position:Scrum half
Ru Amateurclubs:Pyle RFC
Aberavon RFC
Barbarian F.C.
Ru Nationalteam:Wales
Ru Nationalyears:1973
Ru Nationalcaps:1
Ru Nationalpoints:(0)
Ru Coachclubs:Aberavon RFC
Ru Coachyears:1984–87
Occupation:schoolmaster

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 coached Aberavon during the early 1980s. Shell's death was announced on 6 January 2012.[3]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/player/7986.html Clive Shell player profile
  2. http://www.rugbyinwales.co.uk/aberavon/ Rugby in Wales - Aberavon
  3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/16451177.stm Clive Shell dies