:Clive Shell

{{short description|Wales international rugby union footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Clive Shell

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Robert Clive Shell

| birth_date = {{birth date|1947|9|9|df=y}}

| birth_place = Pyle, Wales

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|1|6|1947|9|9|df=yes}}

| death_place =

| height =

| weight =

| position = Scrum half

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 = Pyle RFC

| amatteam2 = Aberavon RFC

| amatteam3 = Barbarian F.C.

| ru_amclubcaps =

| ru_amclubpoints =

| ru_amupdate =

| repteam1 = Wales

| repyears1 = 1973

| repcaps1 = 1

| reppoints1 = 0

| ru_ntupdate =

| coachteams1 = Aberavon RFC

| coachyears1 = 1984–87

| ru_coachupdate =

| occupation = schoolmaster

}}

Clive Shell (9 September 1947 – 6 January 2012)[http://www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/player/7986.html Clive Shell player profile] Scrum.com 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.[http://www.rugbyinwales.co.uk/aberavon/ Rugby in Wales - Aberavon] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727082026/http://www.rugbyinwales.co.uk/aberavon/ |date=2011-07-27 }}

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.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/16451177.stm Clive Shell dies]