HEAD coach Carl Hogg has urged his players to turn Worcester Warriors' season around after securing a morale-boosting 30-20 victory over Brive.

Hooker Joe Taufete’e sent Warriors on their way with a first-half hat-trick before prop Ethan Waller touched down in a triumphant European Challenge Cup opener.

The bonus-point victory at Sixways ended a run of six straight defeats for the Aviva Premiership strugglers.

But Hogg insisted his side now needed to “ride the wave” as they turn their attentions to their trip to Ireland to face Connacht next Saturday (3pm).

“I am delighted for the players,” he said.

“They have put in a lot of effort and endeavour over long periods of time in games and haven’t quite been able to come up with the win.

“I am delighted that we have been able to break the duck for this season.

“But as I have just said to the boys let’s take this now and build on the momentum of winning, drive it home and change our season.”

Despite Warriors’ poor start to the season, Hogg has stressed the spirit in the camp remained high but he admitted the win over Brive would give his players “huge confidence”.

“You can’t question the work ethic, the commitment and endeavour of the side - that’s been apparent from day one,” Hogg continued.

“It’s been just that little bit of accuracy and being clinical at the right times.

“We can get better, but I think the win will give us huge confidence.

“We can come in on Monday and say how can we build on this and that’s the key thing.

“We have got a win, but we now have got to ride the wave.

“Momentum is massive in sport, so now it is about working hard to build on that.”

Guillaume Namy opened the scoring with a try inside the first 10 minutes before Taufete’s struck three times.

On each occasion, the hooker benefitted from catch and drives to score as Warriors led 17-10 at half-time.

Namy crossed the whitewash after the interval and Julien Brugnaut touched down late on, but Waller’s 61st minute score settled the contest.

Brive head coach Nicholas Godignon said he was “depressed” by the defeat and “upset” with his side’s ill-discipline.

“We have had a lot of injuries during the championship so we were not able to put out a competitive team,” Godignon said.

“We finished the game with one front rower in the second row, so it was difficult after that.

“The only thing I am upset by is the two tries they scored at the end of the first half.

“We were penalised too much to be able to finish leading at half-time so it is frustrating.”

Brive, who beat Warriors home and away in the competition last season, sit at the foot of the Top 14 after losing six of their first seven games.

“The pressure is high in the Top 14 as we have had a similar start to Warriors in their championships,” Godignon added.

“We lost six games in a row and got the one win last week, so it has been difficult, but this competition is an opportunity to get fresh air and change our players’ minds.”