Three years after Tony Smith released Peter Fox from the Leeds Rhinos academy, the England coach has selected the 23-year-old Hull Kingston Rovers wing for the international against France in Toulouse on Friday. Fox was sleeping off a heavy Sunday lunch when the surprise call arrived from Smith, who had deemed him surplus to requirements at Leeds and parcelled him off to York City Knights.

Fox spent two seasons with the National League Two club before joining Wakefield Wildcats in 2007 and Hull KR this season, for whom he has scored eight tries and impressed consistently. “It hasn't come easy for him,” Smith said. “He's got an opportunity with Gareth Raynor [the Hull wing] out, but has merited his chance.”

The enforced move to York, his home-town club, proved inspired.

“Danny Williams and Lee Smith were ahead of me at Leeds, but I've matured a lot as a player since then and my game's come on leaps and bounds,” Fox said. “It was disappointing to leave after I'd been there five years, but it made me more determined.”

Fox has his sights on a World Cup place in Australia in the autumn, as do two more newcomers in a 19-strong party, Joe Westerman, the 18-year-old from Castleford Tigers and Ben Westwood, of Warrington Wolves. France have included ten Catalans Dragons players in their squad.“ Catalans are on fire and their players are going to take some of that through to the international team,” Smith said.

Most of the squad remain from the 3-0 series win over New Zealand last year. The only question is whether Leon Pryce or Danny McGuire will win the nod as Rob Burrow's half-back partner. Martin Gleeson, who only just kept his place at centre, is considering a move back to Australia, where he grew up, with Warrington reportedly viewing Jamie Lyon, the Australia centre, as his replacement.