OXFORD University rugby coach Steve Hill is realistic about his side's prospects against Australia at Iffley Road tomorrow (4pm).

Hill knows that the Dark Blues have two chances of springing an upset against rugby union's world champions - slim and even slimmer - but he believes that Oxford can still take plenty out of the occasion.

"We're not deluding ourselves about the probable outcome," said Hill. "But we have set ourselves some targets within the game and we would be disappointed not to achieve them.

"Our defence has been very good this season and we want to keep up our tackle percentage against Australia.

"We know that we are going to start running out of men after a few phases against an attack such as Australia's, but there is not a lot we can do about that.

"Our line-out has also been good this season, and we want to keep that up. I understand the Spanish won virtually nothing on Thursday against Australia, but we're confident we can compete."

Oxford's Varsity Match clash with Cambridge at Twickenham is just over a month away, but Hill says he has no worries about his side picking up injuries against the bigger, fitter Australians, nor about a heavy defeat damaging the Dark Blues' confidence.

"We wouldn't normally have taken a game against such a good side in the build-up to Twickenham," Hill said.

"But the bigger picture is that this is a great opportunity for the club and the players. We couldn't turn it down, although it might have been different if Australia had wanted to play on December 1.

Oxford Univ: Marsh, Rubie, Robinson, Adlen, Ellerby, FitzGerald, Taberner, Tkachuk, Nicholas, Nwume, Russell, Miall, Sherriff, Bolger, Robinson.

Australia: Latham, Tune, Kefu, Flatley, Staniforth, Edmonds, Whitaker, Young, Cannon, Moore, Bowman, Connors, Cockbain, Waugh, Lyons.