Having broken England Test captain Alastair Cook’s records, New Hall School pupil Nathan Khelawon demonstrated his versatility last week after emulating Grand Slam winners Chris Robshaw and Jonathan Joseph.

Despite being just 13, cricketing prodigy Khelawon burst onto the scene at the end of 2015 by smashing smashed Cook’s schoolboy run-scoring records.

In his last year at Bedford School an 18-year-old Cook hit 1,267 runs, but Khelawon blew that out of the water with 1,689 runs for New Hall School – which included 13 hundreds with an average of more than 67 – while he was just 12.

Now a year older Khelawon was in London last week for the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School Sevens, the world’s largest annual school sport tournament with more than 650 teams taking part.

Robshaw and Joseph, who just wrapped up a Six Nations Grand Slam with England, are just two of the many high-profile stars to grace pervious tournaments.

And while New Hall School’s U13s failed to escape their group, winning two of their three games, Khelawon was more than happy to swap his box for a scrum cap.

“Rugby helps build my physicality and I like the physicality of rugby – I am not going to lie,” said Khelawon, who also plays for Harlow Second XI.

“I like to be outdoors, I don’t like being indoors, so being able to run around and help my team-mates out is a great feeling.

“The Rosslyn Park Sevens is a great tournament and another feather in my cap. When you hear that players like Chris Robshaw and Jonathan Joseph have played in the tournament, they have now gone really far.

“Our players a lot of grit and I think New Hall School have shown that they are not just a one sport school.

“Cricket is my favourite sport but I do love rugby.”

While rugby might not have brought Khelawon any more accolades last week, there appears no stopping him when it comes to cricket.

And the teenage sensation admits he has former Essex player turned New Hall School teacher Gareth James to thank for his new-found stardom.

“I have to thank Mr James for giving me the exposure of playing at the different age groups and try to flourish to my full potential,” Khelawon added.

“Alastair Cook was 18 when he made around 1,300 runs and I hit 1,689 I think it was in the end at the age of 12 but that was because of the opportunity Mr James gave me to play from under-13 to the first team.

So I must have played over 50 school games in the season.

“But I do train hard in the winter with my dad, scraping away the snow when it gets cold and putting in those hours of dedication that you need to get far in a sport that you love.

“My family have put a lot of effort, taking off work, to make sure I can play these sports.”

In Rugby Seven’s biggest year the next generation of rugby stars, inspired by the Rugby World Cup, from more than 650 teams descended on Rosslyn Park HSBC National Schools Sevens to start on their own journey and break new ground http://www.rpns7.co.uk/