PAUL Murphy, Oxfordshire’s representative, on the Rugby Football Union, has been appointed interim chairman of the RFU, following the decision of Martyn Thomas to step down.

Yesterday’s move followed a four-hour meeting of the RFU Council, which discussed a review panel’s verdict on the hiring and firing of the RFU’s former chief executive John Steele.

Thomas, though, will continue as acting chief executive at Twickenham, chairman of Rugby World Cup 2015 – which will be staged in England – and as an RFU representative on the International Rugby Board.

Senior vice-president Murphy, due to become RFU president in 2012, will hold his role for three months until a special general meeting can be arranged to appoint a new chairman.

“I think I’m seen as as a safe pair of hands, having chaired a couple of important committees,” said the 60-year-old from Abingdon.

“I will definitely not be seeking the full-time role,” added Murphy, who works for Unipart.

He praised the panel for the manner in which they had handled their review.

“We were concerned that the reputation of the RFU had been damaged by the recent events which were played out so vividly in the media,” he said.

“We wanted to ensure that we put in place an independent panel capable of undertaking a comprehensive and expert review, so we could learn lessons for the future and take the first step forward towards rebuilding that reputation.

The Abingdon RFC president, added: “In the end after lengthy discussions, we have taken what we believe are the right decisions for the future of the game and the Union itself.

“We felt that we had to ensure our members, players, and supporters could see we had taken firm action the issues and move forward.”