FILTON College Rugby Academy, who have underlined their credentials as one of England's premier rugby hot-beds for emerging talent by winning a series of high-profile tournaments this season, went down 17-10 to Hartpury College in Saturday's IRB London Sevens curtain-raiser at Twickenham.

The college's under-18s have had a season to remember, with their latest piece of silverware coming at the prestigious Rosslyn Park National Schools sevens tournament, which is the largest of its kind in the world, with 365 schools taking part in the five-day event. Filton edged past Hartpury College 14-5 in the final of that tournament.

The Bristol-based college have also won the Daily Mail, Fylde, Gloucestershire and Bryanston sevens titles and also took the Sedbergh National Tens crown.

Coach George Tavner said:

"It's been an incredible season. The lads have really put in a lot of hard work, both on and off the field, and thoroughly deserve their success. Winning these titles will put Filton rugby on the map and it goes to show that we must be doing something right in terms of developing local rugby talent."

Of former Filton players, Ben Glynn, who is now with Bristol, was capped by England at Under-18s, while Steffan Jones and Toby Faletau were capped by Wales Under-18s.

Filton has a strong link with the Bristol club and during a British & Irish Cup pool fixture with Nottingham this season, the college had four of its former students – Darren Barry, Tim Brockett (both capped by England Students), Jack Gadd (Wales Under-20s) and Eadie (Scotland Under-18s) – in Bristol's starting XV.

There are 25 Filton players in the RFU Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE).