The 52-year-old, who led the French team from 1997 to 2007, ousted incumbent Pierre Camou with nearly 53 per cent of the vote from the FFR Steering Committee at the organisation's General Assembly.

Camou, who had been President since 2008, received 35.28 per cent of the votes, while Alain Doucet was given 12.16 per cent.

Laporte, who guided the French side to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals in 2003 and 2007, has recently said he will keep Guy Noves as manager.

The Frenchman, who also served as Secretary of State for Youth and Sport from 2007 to 2009, outlined a number of issues he would like to address during his campaign for the role.

Laporte promised to scrap plans to build a National Stadium in Essonne, south of Paris, which had been proposed by his predecessor.

The venue would have cost a reported €600 million (£511 million/$644 million) and Laporte claims the money would be better spent elsewhere, such as investing in the country’s youth development.

Laporte is also hoping to secure a better deal than the current fee they pay to hold international matches at Paris’ iconic Stade de France, which currently stands at around €700,000 (£600,000/$750,000) per game.

Campaign manager Serge Simon reportedly said they would "instigate very quickly the terms that should lead to the halt" of the development of the stadium almost immediately after Laporte was confirmed as President.

Opposition to such plans have already surfaced, however, with local Mayor Francis Chouat telling Rugby World that "there are factors which one cannot simply erase with the stroke of a pen".

He also told the publication that "it was far too early to talk of a definite end to the project".

Other items in Laporte’s in-tray include addressing issues he feels are evident at the lower level of the game in France.

He will be keen on maintaining France’s bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup as they prepare to go up against Ireland, Italy and South Africa - who have defied a Government ban on hosting major events in the sport to enter the race.

France last hosted the quadrennial showpiece in 2007.