HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series England captain Tom Mitchell caused quite a scrum at The Royal School, in Haslemere, when he dropped in to give a motivational talk.

Kilmorey Hall was packed for the opportunity to hear more from the player, who made his England debut in Wellington, in 2012, getting his first try, with his first touch, in his first game. He was top points-scorer in the 2013/2014 HSBC Sevens World Series and became captain in 2014.

Tom spoke about the challenges and opportunities of leading the England side in the short form of the game.

Students heard how adversity in his career including some serious injuries have made him stronger and increased his ability to accept and overcome difficulties. He urged students to maximise their opportunities at school to do what they loved best in the future, and to take control of their destinies.

He described his excitement about the 2016 season and his hopes of representing Great Britain at the Olympics in Rio, where Rugby Sevens is featuring for the first-time ever.

At the end of the talk, students seized the chance to ask the England captain a wide range of questions about his career, training and future plans. The Royal School was thrilled when Tom presented a signed rugby shirt he recently wore in Cape Town.

School principal Anne Lynch, said: “It was a fascinating session and I was particularly impressed by the quality of their questioning. What a great way to inspire young people to work hard and follow their dreams.”