Shelford attended Western Heights High School in Rotorua, New Zealand.
Shelford played rugby union for the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union, and the New Zealand Māori team before switching codes and heading to England in 1990.
Shelford played at centre in Bradford Northern's 2–12 defeat by Warrington in the 1990–91 Regal Trophy Final during the 1990–91 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 12 January 1991.
[6] He left the club in 2002 to join Saracens, where his brother Buck was the head coach.
[9] For many years, Shelford worked as a director at the Rotorua-based New Zealand Sports Academy.