DIRECTOR of Rugby Dean Ryan said he would be delighted if new Springbok Francois Hougaard committed his future to Warriors.
However, the decision on whether he will extend his Sixways stay will depend on whether the scrum half enjoys his time with the club, according to Ryan.
The 27-year-old has made an emphatic start to his time at Sixways, having scored a try on his debut against Sale Sharks and putting in a hard-working shift against Northampton Saints.
The South African international will remain with Warriors until the end of the season before heading to Brazil for the Rio Olympics Rugby Sevens tournament, but Ryan admits his future with the club has been ‘left open’.
“The introduction of Francois has brought a lot of belief into the side. He’s an established athlete that has played at the highest level,” said Ryan, speaking ahead of Friday’s key Aviva Premiership trip to Newcastle Falcons.
“He does his job for the team by keeping them ticking over and he’s not shy of putting in a tackle either.
“To be a high profile player with us you need to understand the challenge we face and want to get engaged. Francois has already shown that and his commitment so far has been phenomenal.
“As far as having Francois at the club next year, it’s a combination of him enjoying himself here and us enjoying his presence here.
“We’ve left it open so let’s see over the next few weeks what impact he has and if he and the club enjoy the performances. Only then will talking about his future be made easier.
“If he doesn’t enjoy it here he won’t stay, just like any other player.
“He’s come in to do a specific job for us and we’d love him to stay. I’ve already had that conversation with him and I’m not going to worry about other teams wanting him as if he wants to be here, he’ll stay here.
“But it also depends on where he sees his life going. He has the Sevens at the Rio Olympics this summer, so let’s just walk a little bit rather than charge to the end,” he added.