Best beer for the best rugby

News Release April 13, 2006

The best beer in the world...... for the best Rugby in the world

Heineken International has announced the renewal of its sponsorship contract with Rugby World Cup Ltd and will once again be the Official Beer of Rugby World Cup 2007 France.

Heineken International sports sponsorship manager Freek de Wette says, "We are delighted to have extended our sponsorship of the Rugby World Cup. The Heineken brand is enjoyed in almost every country through-out the world. As such Heineken is the perfect partner for Rugby's premier global tournament, which has been the world's fastest growing sporting occasion in the last decade in terms of broadcast reach and live spectators.

The announcement reinforces Heineken's long-standing involvement in the tournament, which is viewed by over 3.5 billion people across 209 countries.

Heineken's partnership with the Rugby World Cup 2007 will be activated worldwide, with a focus on the major Rugby playing nations of Ireland, UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. The international campaign will be designed to create a unique atmosphere around the games and bring added enjoyment to Rugby fans around the world.

Heineken brand manager for New Zealand Jacqui Jones says, "We're going to implement a series of local activities to support Heineken's sponsorship of the Rugby World Cup 2007. We want to bring this fantastic sporting event to life for Rugby lovers across the country and hopefully get Kiwis excited about the event landing on our shores four years later."

The Rugby World Cup 2007 begins on September 7, with the final match to be played on October 20 at St Denis.

About Heineken: * Heineken is the number on premium European beer in New Zealand.

* Sold in almost every country in the world, it's the largest premium lager in the world. * Heineken have been the official beer of the Rugby World Cup since 1995. * More than 30% of Heineken's global volume is consumed in the major rugby playing nations.

ENDS

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