RISING star Peter Fox has the rugby league world at his feet after signing for top Super League club Leeds Rhinos.

The 16-year-old York Acorn starlet has put pen to paper on a part-time Academy contract after impressing during training sessions with the Rhinos.

He is also on the brink of international honours having been invited to try out for the England Under-16 team.

On Saturday he will join 35 other talented youngsters at an England training camp in Barnsley, from which a squad of 24 will be chosen to tour Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

It is yet another feather in the cap for Acorn who are becoming a breeding ground for the professional game. Fox's cousin, Jonny Liddell, is making his mark in Leeds' Alliance team while Acorn also moulded the likes of York Wasps' in-form centre Gareth Lloyd and Hull KR half-back Darren Callaghan.

Another of the current crop of the Under-16s, half-back Andy Henson, is also training with the Rhinos and will be hoping to tie up a contract in the coming months.

Fox, a prolific try-scoring centre, has been in superb form for Acorn Under-16s this season and was outstanding in a recent Yorkshire Youth representative match.

His coach at Thanet Road, Paul Lumby, described him as "a superb all-round player" and believes he has the potential to go all the way. "His tackling is superb and his timing running on to the ball is as good as I've ever seen," said Lumby, who praised the contribution fellow coaches Terry Burns, Barry Gargan and Ben Henson have made to Fox's development.

"He's got pace, power and technically he's very correct. He has a lot of natural ability and can only get better by going to Leeds.

"We have only scratched the surface compared with what they'll do with him.

"He's just going to get better and better," added Lumby.

"It will be tough for him over the next two years but if he keeps the same dedication and continues to mature I don't see any reason why he can't make a big name for himself."

Fox's success should come as no surprise as rugby league runs in the family. His mother, Susan, said: "It's all he's ever wanted to do. I think he was born with a rugby ball in his hands."

He is the grandson of former York Wasps' director and Acorn club chairman Peter Warters. His father Barry still plays for Acorn's second team at the age of 42, and his uncle and aunt, Alfie and Linda Hill, are Acorn's director of coaching and treasurer respectively.

His cousin, Jon Liddell, has tread the same path and is now establishing himself in the Rhinos second string. Liddell has taken over at stand-off this season and was superb in their 60-4 demolition of London Broncos last weekend.

Fox will continue playing for Acorn Under-16s until the end of their current season, in which they have three matches remaining and an outside chance of winning the Yorkshire Youth/West Riding League first division title.

Updated: 12:16 Saturday, March 10, 2001