Bill Beaumont has been appointed the new chairman of the Rugby Football Union, taking over from the former incumbent Paul Murphy.

The decision was made in today's annual general meeting, and Beaumont moved quickly to announce that the hosting of the Rugby World Cup in 2015 is a big priority.

"I'm very honoured to be appointed chairman of the RFU," Beaumont said in a statement on the RFU website.

"The RFU staff and thousands of volunteers face three years of hard work ahead but the legacy of the England hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2015 will be enormous and it is our chance to showcase our game throughout the whole country."

Beaumont is a former England captain.