KELLY COLLEGE came away from the 2013 Rosslyn Park HSBC National Schools Sevens with their pride intact having finished third in their qualifying group.

Captain Jonty Newton insisted it was a fitting way to end his tenure.

They got off to a great start by beating Ibstock Place School 26-12 but went down 38-0 to defending champions and overall winners Wellington College before losing to St Peter's School, York.

Jonty, aged 18, insists the whole group will have benefitted from facing up to such high-calibre opposition and believed his team gave a good account of themselves.

He said:?'It was a lot different to last year because the conditions were so difficult but it has been equally as good fun even if we had to play a different type of sevens. We have a few positives to take out of the tournament. We are used to harder ground and better conditions but we gave it a good fight.'

More than 600 teams of all levels from across the UK as well as international visiting teams took part in the tournament, which is now in its 74th year.

World Cup winner and former England player Jason Robinson, speaking in his role as an ambassador for HSBC, said that the tournament is continuing to go from strength to strength.

He said: 'Sevens just strips it down. The emphasis is not on the scrum, the maul or kicking. It is about running with the ball, creating space, playing with your head up and using those skills.

'Especially with sevens being an Olympic sport now, this competition is more important than ever with the future of this sport in this country in mind.'

HSBC is proud to sponsor the world's largest school rugby tournament. All HSBC's rugby sponsorships aim to help develop and grow the sport and ensure even more youngsters get involved with rugby. For more information visit http://www.rpns7.co.uk">www.rpns7.co.uk