Fiji will face England in the opening match of next year’s World Cup at Twickenham after thrashing Cook Islands 108-6 in Lautoka to qualify for the tournament for the seventh time out of eight.

Fiji, who defeated Italy three weeks ago, were trailing 6-5 after 27 minutes but then buried the visitors under an avalanche of tries – 13 of them in the second-half. Progressing in the tournament will be slightly more demanding as Fiji find themselves in a pool not just with the hosts but two of the semi-finalists in 2011, Wales and Australia.

The islanders will be in the same group as Wales for the third successive World Cup, defeating them in Nantes in 2007 to qualify for the knockout stage and losing by 60 points in Hamilton four years later. Next year’s match between the sides will be played at the Millennium Stadium, even though England were awarded the tournament on the basis they would be the only hosts. Fiji secured a 16-16 draw in Cardiff in 2010.

“The qualifier was a big game for us as a team and as a nation,” said the Fiji captain and former Gloucester flanker, Akapusi Qera. “We knew they would come at us in the forwards in the first 20 minutes and we were ready for them. It’s a major thing for a player growing up to qualify for the Rugby World Cup and that’s what motivated us in the second half.”

The tournament opener between England and Fiji is on Friday 18 September, with an 8pm kick-off. The final place in the pool has still to be decided. Three teams have made it to the last four of the repêchage: Hong Kong and Uruguay will meet in one of the semi-finals while one of Madagascar, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Namibia will face Russia.