ITwas, admitted Fred McLeod, a scenario he couldn't have envisaged at the start of the month when his most onerous task was deciding if the weather had relented enough to get in a round of golf.

Despite having his fingers in a few parttime pies, life was as relaxed as it should be for the retired 65-year-old.

As a former president of the Scottish Rugby Union during one of the most turbulent periods in its history, McLeod is no stranger to bitter in-fighting and the fueds of vested interests. Rugby remains one of the most sociable sports in the country, but the arrival of professionalism in 1995 brought unhealed divisions.

McLeod, indeed, was one of the International Board members when the historic decision was made in Paris. As a pragmatist he was able to adapt to the new circumstances far better than many of the SRU's senior employees and committee men, whose attitude had been that professionalism would arrive over their dead bodies.

By the time he moved up to the presidency the following year, there was an all-out civil war between the country's top clubs, backed by distinguished former internationals captains, and the SRU heirarchy. The issue was who should represent Scotland in Europe - clubs or districts?

There was only one answer as far as Jim Telfer, the iconic former Scotland player, coach and director of rugby was concerned. With McLeod and Duncan Paterson marshalling Scotland's grassroots clubs behind the scenes, the Melroses and Watsonians' of the Scottish game were crushed in a series of bloody battles.

Little surprise, then, that when a majority of the current SRU committee decided to stage a coup, McLeod was the man they turned to as a tried and trusted pair of hands. Just when he became aware of the plot to remove chairman David Mackay is unclear, but it seems inconceivable that he wouldn't have been sounded out before the committee voted on the issue 10 days ago.

On Friday, by which time he had been installed as not only interim chairman but chief executive following the midweek resignation of Phil Anderton, the old campaigner said: "I didn't think I would get my feet under a desk again.

"I'm here in a short-term capacity. As far as I'm concerned it's very much business as usual. At present, I'm assessing the priorities of the business and actively trying to eke some sense out of the strategic plan.

"There are issues with regard to the plan which have to be clarified. The governance issue is obviously one, but I am hopeful we can find some resolutions. The executive directors are getting on with the job of looking to see how the plan, if approved at the sgm on January 30, can be implemented as quickly as possible."

McLeod must be aware that his unexpected return to the corridors of power will be perceived as a step backwards, but he is adamant that he will not be in the committee's pocket.

"I've told them I must be independent, " he said, "and that has been accepted all round. I will be the point of contact for the committee and if they want any information I'll feed it back to them.

But if I make wrong decisions here I'll stand or fall by them myself.

"I'm working with the management team to take the whole business forward. Obviously I've got to put a priority on reviewing the financial position and where we go for next season.

"I have to say this ongoing saga in the papers, and what is being said by certain individuals, is actually doing the game a great disservice. If people are going to get switched off to ticket sales and everything else, the clubs are the ones that will suffer.

"Decisions have now been made and we have to go forward positively. The longer this rumbles on, the more dangerous it is for the future of Scottish rugby at all levels."

Talking of which, McLeod said he had been in discussions with the SRU's bankers on Friday morning. The overdraft stands at around [pounds]20 million, and they, like sponsors, must surely have looked askance at the week's developments.

"Anybody who is involved with Scottish rugby must be concerned when something of this magnitude blows up, whether you're a sponsor or whatever, " admitted McLeod. "But I have spoken to the bank and there is not a problem at the present time.

The sponsors are waiting to see what happens on January 30, when we hope confidence will be restored."

McLeod is an old-time associate of Ian McGeechan, the director of rugby and former Scotland coach who was also close to Anderton. During the week it was rumoured that McGeechan, whose popularity in the rugby community has fallen since replacing Telfer, would also fall on his sword, but McLeod said: "I've met Ian three or four times a day since I came in here on Tuesday. He's not going to walk away. He's committed, like I am, to Scottish rugby, but he'll speak for himself on that.

"I know he's obviously distressed, but I think everybody is distressed because they thought that the strategic plan was going to collapse. I don't perceive that to be the case at all.

"I've really got behind the rugby side, because it is so important with the Six Nations coming up. Ian McGeechan and Willie Anderson need our full support at this time.

"I've also had the comfort of several players speaking to me without being solicited and saying they are very focused on what they have to do in the coming weeks. There is no threat of revolt from the players. They realise their job is to play rugby and they're getting on with it.

"The more I've been here this week, the more I'm convinced we can find a way forward which will give everyone comfort. Sadly it may be that Mr Mackay and Mr Anderton have gone, but some of the things that have been stumbling blocks in the last few months are, I think, resolvable. The quicker that's done, the better."

And what, assuming he himself is still in place after the sgm in a fortnight's time, can be done to dismantle the stumbling blocks?

"Better communication, internally, will absolutely be essential to take us forward, " he replied, "both across the way between the committee and the executive, and down the way through the line heads here at Murrayfield. I operate an open door policy, and if people want to come and see me they candoso.

"The way forward is to have a unity of purpose. That expression was used in the first strategic plan I was involved with 10 years ago. We've got to get it back and restore confidence all round, although that's easier said than done.

"All I'm doing is trying to ensure that the business does not stand still or go backwards. That I can keep it ticking forward so that a new chairman and chief executive can be brought in."

Given it could well take five months at least to appoint a new chief executive, another victim of last week's extraordinary events looks certain to be McLeod's handicap.