The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) announced on Wednesday that FxPro would be the title sponsor of Super Rugby games in the country for the next four years.

The foreign exchange broker’s backing of the competition will begin in 2012 on the final weekend in February, with the tournament to carry the FxPro Super Rugby title in Australia. FxPro’s logo will appear on the official match ball at each game in Australia as well as the official match jerseys and shorts for all five Australian teams – the NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, Melbourne Rebels, Western Force and The Brumbies.

FxPro branding will also be prominently displayed in-stadium and on-screen at all Super Rugby matches played in Australia, but as the deal only covers Australia, the sponsorship will not apply for matches staged in South Africa and New Zealand, where the competition’s other teams are based. Super Rugby moved to a Conference format in 2011, expanded its finals series and introduced the Melbourne Rebels as a new team to give Australia parity with New Zealand and South Africa, which already had five sides each in the tournament.

“The status of Super Rugby clearly has an alignment with the objectives of FxPro and we believe the relationship will be enormously beneficial to both parties,” said ARU managing director and CEO John O’Neill. “Having a foreign exchange broker with offices across a large number of nations is fitting for a championship that is unique – being played across three territories as diverse as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.”

FxPro chief marketing officer Jim Manczak added: “The decision to partner with the ARU and Super Rugby is a natural fit with the future ambitions of the business, and we are delighted to be partnered with such an exciting and popular tournament.” FxPro already sponsors Barclays Premier League club Fulham, the Asian Football Confederation Champions League and the World Rally Championship.