Visa International Announces Rugby World Cup Ambassadors; Four Rugby Legends to Help Bring Passion and Spirit to Fans.

Sports Editors/Business Editors

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003

Visa International today announced that its global sponsorship of Rugby World Cup 2003 will be complemented by four of the rugby world's greatest players -- Zinzan Brooke, John Eales, Gavin Hastings, and Francois Pienaar -- who will act as Visa's "Ambassadors" and official spokespersons. The four outstanding former players will work with Visa on a number of marketing and public relations promotions to help bring the passion, power and teamwork of rugby to fans worldwide.

Visa renewed its highly successful Rugby World Cup sponsorship in May 2001, and is the Official Worldwide Partner and official payment service of Rugby World Cup 2003 (RWC 2003). The sponsorship provides Visa with a major global marketing platform reaching some of its most important markets around the world.

The Visa Ambassadors will be featured separately and together in a number of promotional programs. In the next few months, the four will be featured in a special television program called "Visa Rugby World Cup Classics" in which they will discuss some of their own most treasured RWC moments and the highlights from the four previous World Cups, coupled with memorable archive footage from the '87, '91, '95 and '99 Tournaments. The program will be provided to television media worldwide by Visa and the International Rugby Board.

As spokespersons for Visa, they will be visible in a number of Visa merchant and cardholder promotions that will provide up to 10,000 tickets to consumers to win worldwide when Visa cards are used. The four also will be used in communications to Visa's 21,000 member financial institutions as well as featured in television commercials and advertisements.

One Visa Ambassador, John Eales, former captain of the Australian Wallabies, was recently featured in a Visa television commercial, which began airing in February in Australia. The commercial parodies the "train-stuffers" who cram Japanese commuters onto crowded trains daily. After rushing through the station, and paying for his ticket with his Visa card, Eales uses his own rugby skills in the scrum to help pack more people on the train and then squeeze himself in. To highlight the humor of the hustle and bustle onscreen, the popular '80s hit "Turning Japanese" by the "Radiators" plays in the background throughout the ad. The spot will air throughout the year in the lead-up to Rugby World Cup 2003, which will be hosted by Australia in October.

Representing the southern hemisphere are Francois Pienaar, John Eales and Zinzan Brooke. Francois Pienaar was captain of the RWC '95 championship team while John Eales captained the Wallabies to the World Cup in RWC '99. Pienaar has 29 international caps to his name including winning rugby's ultimate prize in 1995. Francois not only helped put South Africa back on the sporting map but also is his country's most celebrated sporting icon.

Not only is John Eales the second-most capped Wallaby ever, he is also the most capped Wallaby captain. John participated in two successful World Cup campaigns; captained the Wallabies in memorable victories including the 1999 World Cup; led Australia through four successive years of Bledisloe Cup wins and two successful seasons of Tri-Nations fixtures. He also led the Wallabies to the first ever defeat of the British and Irish Lions.

Zinzan Brooke, one of New Zealand's most capped All Blacks, is considered by some as the world's greatest rugby player. He is one of the most skilful forwards to have played for the All Blacks and one of the most versatile and durable. As Number 8 for New Zealand, he was chosen for the 1987 World Cup squad and played in the pool match against Argentina on the openside flank, scoring the first of his 41 tries for New Zealand. Noted for his ball skills and athleticism, Brooke appeared in RWC '91 and RWC '95. In the 1995 Rugby World Cup, he illustrated his tremendous football skills and strength by calmly drop-kicking a 40-meter goal against England in the semi-final.

As the sole representative of the northern hemisphere, Scotland's Gavin Hastings retired from International Rugby after the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa having played 61 times for his country, 20 of them as Captain. The Edinburgh native scored over 700 points in official Test Matches, placing him second behind Australia's Michael Lynagh in the list of all time point scorers. Gavin's rugby career achievements include playing in the first three Rugby World Cups as well as in the historic Grand Slam side of 1990. He captained the British Lions on their tour to New Zealand in 1993 as well as Scotland on 20 occasions, the most historic being their victory over France in Paris for the first time in 26 years. His contributions to the sport were acknowledged with an OBE in the 1994 New Year's Honors List.

All four Visa Ambassadors, now retired from active play, will work with Visa to support the sponsorship worldwide and promote the sport of rugby. Visa plans to work with its Rugby Ambassadors to tap into the passion and spirit of rugby to deliver unique, highly visible, business opportunities to its members and their merchants around the world while providing added benefits to their Visa cardholders.

About Visa. Visa is the world's leading payment brand. Visa-branded cards generate US$2.4 trillion in annual volume with unsurpassed acceptance in more than 150 countries. The Visa organization plays a pivotal role in developing innovative payment products and technologies to benefit its 21,000 member financial institutions and their cardholders. Visa is a leader in Internet based payments and is pioneering the creation of u-commerce, or universal commerce--the ability to conduct commerce anywhere, anytime, and any way. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com.