INFLUENTIAL scrum-half Francois Hougaard “thrives in pressure situations” like Worcester Warriors’ Aviva Premiership survival fight.

The South African livewire delivered a man-of-the-match performance in Warriors’ crucial 41-24 victory over relegation rivals Bristol on Sunday.

Second-from-bottom Warriors are now seven points clear of basement boys Bristol with just five league matches remaining.

And Hougaard has urged Warriors supporters to “watch this space” and predicts the club are “going big places”.

“I love it (at Worcester),” said Hougaard who scored a stunning try and also set up Bryce Heem’s first with a superb clean break.

“There are a great bunch of guys (at Worcester) and it’s quite sad where we are at the moment near the bottom of the table.

“But we have a really special thing going. Just watch this space. We are going big places.”

The 28-year-old arrived at Warriors in February last year with the club embroiled in a two-way relegation battle with London Irish.

Hougaard sparked a Warriors revival with two tries in nine matches.

They managed to win four successive top-tier matches for the first time in the club’s history to eventually finish 10th as the Exiles were relegated.

He had only played three Premiership games this term prior to Bristol after being ruled out for three months with a shoulder injury.

And his sparkling display against the bottom club could have a lasting impression in the battle to remain in the top flight.

“The only way I can get better as a player and a scrum-half is by playing,” said Hougaard.

“You can train as hard as you want but with the number nine spot there are a lot of instinctive things which happen in a game that you only pick up while playing.

“I am still learning even though I’ve played for quite a while and had 38 Tests for South Africa. I still learn every day. I am pretty happy where I am at the moment.”

Hougaard signed a three-year deal at Sixways towards the end of last season.

The home crowd were chanting his surname after he profited from an overthrown line-out to score the try which helped put Warriors into a commanding 17-3 advantage against Bristol.

“An overthrow at the line-out is probably the best ball I can ask for,” he said.

“Most of the time the opposition wing is over to the left for them to attack so there’s no real defence.

“Tom Varndell was still on the correct side (of the pitch for Bristol) so I had to do a bit of work there. Something like that is never planned and it happens naturally. Luckily it worked out for me.”

Hougaard admits the magnitude of Warriors’ predicament in the table and the arrival of Gary Gold, a coach he already knew from South Africa, has given him extra motivation.

“I thrive in pressure situations,” he said.

“I try to turn the pressure into a positive and make it work for me. You will always be nervous with positive energy going into a game like that and I was very excited. There was a lot riding on it.

“Gary has brought in a clear message. It’s pretty simple what he asks from us. It’s about having heart, how badly we want it and everyone being on the same page.

“There are great signs for us. We are moving in a positive direction and working hard towards going upwards.”