The curtain comes down this weekend on a successful season for Oxford University - and the prospects look bright for the future.

The Dark Blues won the Varsity Match for the third time in a row, while they also enjoyed a winning run in the post-Christmas games under new captain Fraser Gemmell.

Director of rugby Steve Hill is hopeful of continuing the run of good form next season, even though only a handful of Blues are returning.

"We've had a couple of internationals applying, but whether they get the courses they're looking for is another matter," said Hill.

"What this term has shown is that we've got lots of good young players," said Hill.

"Young wingers Will Ellerby and Will Rubie have come on a lot, while players such as Ben Durham, Shaun Stafford, John Dick and Matt Honeyben have shown their potential."

Oxford, who should have finished this term with three matches against Japanese teams, will have instead to settle for one.

Following the tragic events of September 11, both the Keio University and Kanto Gukin University called off their trips to Britain.

So tonight's game against Keio and the contest with Kanto Gakuin, scheduled for Saturday, March 9, have been cancelled.

However, Waseda University will fulfil their fixture - and indeed will be playing two games against the Dark Blues this weekend.

On Saturday, Waseda's second side will take on the Oxford University Greyhounds at Iffley Road (noon), while the following day, the two first teams will do battle at 2.30pm.

Following their comprehensive victory over the RAF in their first group match, Oxfordshire Under 20s face a stiffer test when they take on Buckinghamshire in the County Championship at Aylesbury on Sunday (2.15).

Meanwhile, Oxford University, with one win and one loss so far, entertain Staffordshire in their third Midlands Group match at Christ Church on the same day (2.30).

Sources close to Moseley Rugby Club suggest that the deal for Oxford United chairman Firoz Kassam to buy out the troubled Midlands club could be completed late next week.

Bicester face Henley in the semi-finals of the Oxfordshire Veterans Cup at Oxford RFC's Southern Bypass ground tonight (7.30).