WHITGIFT School might have failed to reach the heady heights of last year's Rosslyn Park HSBC National Schools Sevens this time around, but captain Adam Worth still had a smile on his face after bringing the curtain down on a memorable week.
Worth and his team-mates arrived in south west London having made it to the Open final in 2012, only to finish runners-up to Coleg Sir Gar.
But despite winning all four of their games last Thursday to reach the quarter-final pool, two defeats to last year's nemesis Coleg Sir Gar and Truro College meant Whitgift's adventure ended there.
However, despite falling just short of lifting the Open title for the first time since 1967 once again, Worth insists playing against some of the UK's best rugby schools can only help his side's development.
"It was much more closely contested than when we played Sir Gar last year in the final," said Worth, who also watched on as the junior side failed to escape their group.
"I think the wet conditions played a big part in how we played, I think we adapted very well to that.
"I know all the boys really enjoyed it and it was great to push them so close this year but we wanted to go further, we wanted to be pressing for the title really.
"But I think that the way that we played, we can be very proud of that and it's been an honour to play with the boys.
"I've only played here twice and it's a shame I couldn't play here more really.
"I'm looking forward to coming back here next year to see the rest of the boys playing and support Whitgift."
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.
The 7,500 participants age from 13 to 18, with boys and girls taking part in the various different competitions during the week.
And World Cup winner Jason Robinson, speaking in his role as an ambassador for HSBC, insisted that the tournament is continuing to go from strength to strength.
"This is a great competition, it is very competitive but at the same time it is all about improving as well," he said.
"While everyone wants to come here and win, there are actually teams here that don't play a lot of rugby, playing for the first time and I think that is important.
"You look at the result in the Six Nations for England and it just highlights the fact that we need to produce more kids who are comfortable with the ball in their hand.
"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. For more information, visit www.rpns7.co.uk
