ANZ today announced it has signed an agreement to become a Worldwide Partner and the Official Bank of the Rugby World Cup 2011.

ANZ Chief Executive Mike Smith said the Rugby World Cup has established itself as one of the major sporting events on the world calendar and it fits well with ANZ given the passion for the game and its presence in their key markets in Asia Pacific.

The Tournament will be broadcast to more than 475 million homes within Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific and is expected to reach a worldwide audience of at least four billion and make a significant contribution to the local economy.

Already fans from over 100 countries have applied for tickets.

The Tournament is expected to attract 70,000 international visitors with a significant proportion of these travelling from Asia Pacific.

Teams representing 20 nations will compete in 48 matches across several host cities during September and October.

The final match will be held at Auckland=s historic Eden Park, October 23rd, 2011.