The Rugby Football Union was plunged into fresh turmoil, with news that Martyn Thomas has stepped down as Chairman.

England's Press Association reports that Thomas 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.

Sunday's move followed a four-hour meeting of the RFU Council, which discussed disciplinary officer Judge Jeff Blackett 52-page review into the way John Steele was ousted from his post as Chief Executive last month.

The 58-man Council, according to PA, have decided that Paul Murphy will serve as interim RFU chairman, pending a Special General Meeting when Thomas' permanent replacement will be decided.

That meeting, though, cannot take place constitutionally for 60 days.

The PA also reports that a vote of no confidence in the RFU management board was defeated by a majority verdict.

It is also understood that during the Council meeting Thomas agreed not to put his name forward for election as chairman during Sunday's RFU annual general meeting at Twickenham.

It is also known there were dissenting voices within the Council over his continuation as acting Chief Executive before it was agreed he should continue in that role.

It now means that less than nine weeks before the 2011 World Cup kicks off in New Zealand, the RFU has no permanent Chairman, no permanent Chief Executive and are still searching for their first Performance Director.

The Performance Director job, a role created by John Steele's review of the organisation earlier this year, had been thought to be tailor-made for England's 2003 World Cup-winning mastermind Clive Woodward.

But during the course of a horribly bungled RFU process, Woodward reaffirmed commitment to his current employers the British Olympic Association.