Old Fish, Josh Hallett (2012-2019), playing at fly half, orchestrated the first victory for Oxford in the Varsity match since 2022. Recently retired from his professional contract with Saracens, Josh was very much at home in the familiar surroundings of the StoneX Stadium. Josh demonstrated masterly control of his players before scoring a well-worked try himself. The match ended 37-25 in favour of the Dark Blues, much to the joy of approximately half the intensely partisan crowd.

The Varsity Matches are the historic annual rugby clash between Oxford University Rugby Football Club (OURFC) and Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club (CURUFC). The first men’s match was played in 1872 and the first women’s match in 1988, making Varsity one of the world’s longest-running sporting fixtures.

Josh attended New Hall as a Music Scholar from 2012 to 2019, where he began developing his pathway in rugby. At just 16 years old, he was selected to play for Saracens in the Under-18s Academy League and also represented England Under-16s in the same year. In the summer of 2018, he toured South Africa with England, further highlighting his potential at a young age.

From 2019 to 2025, Josh was professionally contracted with Saracens, making 23 appearances for the First Team. Alongside his professional rugby career, he completed his university degree at King’s College London, achieving a First-Class Honours in Chemistry.

We congratulate Josh on this outstanding achievement. He follows in the footsteps of fellow Old Fishes who have secured Full Blues, including Lucy Greenwood (Old Fish, 2004–2016) in Dinghy Sailing.