Wilhelm De Klerk eyes Division 1B play-offs for Queen's as they travel to Nenagh

The South Africa-born midfield arrived at the Dub carrying an injury but made his debut in the royal blue shirt in the home victory over Blackrock last time out.

That win snapped a three-game losing streak for the students lifting them of the bottom of the table, with De Klerk getting the man-of-the-match accolade for his performance on both sides of the ball.

De Klerk is in the Queen’s number 13 shirt again this afternoon as Derek Suffern’s side travel to second-placed Nenagh.

“It is pretty crucial to get as many wins under the belt and finish in the top four and I think that is the aim for this club,” stated De Klerk.

“I think that is the aim for every club is to push yourself and try to finish in the top four and you never know what can happen from there.

De Klerk moved with his family to Ireland rom South Africa when he was 10.

He explained: “I was born in South Africa and all my family are from there, then I moved to Dublin 10 years ago, so I have had half my life in South Africa and half my life in Ireland.

“I think it was good for me growing up in South Africa, it taught me a lot of things like how to settle in new places and I’ve got better at that after moving over here and being able to make friends wherever I have gone.

“Moving over here has definitely helped with my move to Ulster because it taught me how to get to know other people and reach out and just be friendly wherever I go.

“The company my dad was working for branched out into Ireland and we were only meant to come for two years but we loved Ireland and the safety of it.

“Everyone is so friendly and we were happy to stay.”

De Klerk is hoping swapping UCD for Queen’s will help him on the path to playing for Ulster.

“The first time I was in contact with Ulster was around February when the Six Nations was starting. My agent and I reached out to Ulster because it is a very good place to come to and develop as a player and further on in my career,” he stated.

“The main thing was looking at the players that have come out of Ulster as they have all developed there and had most of their careers there.

“I think a lot of the boys in the Ulster senior team are coming from the academy now and are seen as homegrown.

“All of the pros have come through the academy and I think that is the best place for me to be now and hopefully I can just kick on from there.”

Winger Lukas Kenny returns to make his seasonal debut for Queen’s after suffering a serious injury last year.

Josh Stevenson returns to the back row for his first run out of the season and Lorcan McLoughlin takes over the skipper’s armband from injured Ulster lock Charlie Irvine.

Flynn Longstaff moves from the from row to cover Irvine’s absence.

In Division 1A second-placed Ballynahinch travel to Lansdowne.

Ulster out half Jake Flannery makes his seasonal bow after recovering from a finger injury.

After beating Terenure last time to move up to eighth, City of Armagh host Cork Con.