Sedbergh School brought the curtain down on the 2013 Rosslyn Park HSBC National Schools Sevens by claiming their first Open title in five years with a narrow victory over Woodhouse Grove School.

Having finished top of the pile back in 2008, Sedbergh had failed to return to the summit since, but looked determined to change all that this time around at the world’s largest schools sevens tournament.

In the semi-final they got the better of defending champions Coleg Sir Gar 28-5 before squeezing past Woodhouse Grove School 7-0 in a hard-fought final.

And after seeing the school’s XV season ruined by illness, captain Edward Smith was delighted to turn their fortunes around in the shorter version of the game.

“We have had a pretty shocking XV season but we have made up for all of that at the Rosslyn Park Sevens,” the 17-year-old said.

“It is such an amazing feeling. We came down here thinking we could win it, but you never know so it is nice to achieve your ambitions.

“The weather was really tough and you are running at about half the pace you would be and the ball was really slippery.

“We had a mumps outbreak at school for the XV season and had lots of cancellations, but this sevens team has come together and really worked hard for each other.

“This is the best feeling I have had as a schoolboy and this is my last year at the school and a great way to end – the best thing ever.”

The Plate final was won by Oaklands College, after they comfortably saw off the challenge of Bishop Wordsworth’s School 29-5 in their showpiece.

The other winners on the final day in south west London were Hartpury College, as their girls side came away with the silverware in confident fashion.

Hartpury College beat Queen Elizabeth High School 55-0 in their semi-final before being equally devastating in the final, beating Amman Valley School 40-0 to claim their third trophy in the last four years.

Captain Zoe Barber said: “It is amazing and everyone is so happy to have won.

“We got knocked out by Moulton in last year’s semi-finals so to come all the way this year shows that everyone worked hard for it and wanted it so much.

“Everyone gave everything they had and everyone played so well despite the bad weather.”