Career
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 Reconstruction Finance Corporation. 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 Reconstruction Finance Corporation. He captained Aberavon Reconstruction Finance Corporation in the seasons of 1977-1978, 1978-1979 and 1979-1980 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.
Shell"s death was announced 6 January 2012.