Cannell played his rugby with Combined Services while serving in the Royal Air Force and made appearances for Northampton, before relocating to London to continue his medical studies at St Mary's Hospital, London.[2]
A centre, Cannell gained 19 England caps, debuting aged 21 against France in 1948. He scored the only try of England's win over Wales during their 1953 Five Nations-winning campaign and featured twice in their 1957 Five Nations grand slam success. Over the course of his career, Cannell made representative appearances for Barbarians, London Counties, East Midlands and Middlesex.[3]
Cannell worked as a radiologist at Addington Hospital in Durban, South Africa, then on his return to England was based in Stoke Mandeville Hospital.[2]