THE Oratory School Under 16s began their sevens season with an impressive victory at the Gordon’s School Festival in Surrey.

The Woodcote school topped their pool with encouraging wins over Worth (36-0), St. John’s Leatherhead (29-10), St. Columba’s (56-0) and the Royal Alexandra & Albert School (40-7).

Masa Moriyama, player-of-the-tournament Ollie Monye, James Simmonds and Morgan Macrae all produced eye-catching displays with ball in hand while Lucas Sieyes, Max Nugent, Toby Winterbottom and Jack Thomson gave the side a strong defensive platform. The semi final against Wimbledon College was always going to be a step-up, but the side raised their game to run out 40-17 winners. Will Cassar’s game control was particularly impressive, as was the physicality of the powerful AJ Okocha and Dalton Byrnes.

The final, against City of London Freeman’s, was a classic encounter in which both sides led.

However, with the game level at 19-19, Moriyama showed good pace to finish off a well-worked team try.

Crucially, his score was under the posts and was easily converted, but the drama was not over.

With only one play remaining, City of London fought back and scored in the left-hand corner, only for the conversion to drift wide as Oratory won 26-24.