Defence is absolutely vital to a game. The only way you can be guaranteed to not lose is not to concede a point!

It is difficult to overstate the importance of defence in building a strong team, yet we often overlook it, particularly when coaching at junior levels. This is perhaps because younger players are naturally less disciplined and more inclined to go for glory with attack than put in the hard graft for a strong defence. Nevertheless, you can do a lot to help build a solid defence in your team.

The ultimate goal of a good defence is to force the attacking side to be creative, to not gift them opportunities and to force them into errors – this is all about applying pressure and not soaking it up. If you can make the attacking team play on your terms, you're already half way to victory. One of the coach's major roles in all this is developing a sense of responsibility for each player on the team, so that each one of the defenders knows what his role is, and how he fits into the team's overall effort. This means not only working on team strategy as a whole, but working with each player and their individual skills and duties.

There are a wide range of skills and methods to employ when coaching defence, all of which can be very useful. As well as standard coaching of skills on the field, video analysis and use of statistics can provide great feedback. Your players will appreciate feedback, as long as it is presented constructively and helpfully. There are also a wide variety of areas you need to work on in defence – an overall system of course, but specifically defence at the ruck, the tackle area, midfield, the transition area, set piece and maul (in Union) are all very important. Have specific tactics prepared, but also be aware that your players must be ready to change and adapt to the game as it develops – this is where game sense decision making is crucial to develop.

There are a number of different basic defensive systems which you might apply depending on your opponent – analyse their style before the game and decide whether you want to play an aggressive, ‘blitz' style defence, or a more cautious one, where the line stays together. As mentioned, however, your players should be ready to tailor the plan as the game develops.

Defence at the ruck needs to be tight. In League this is a crucial area of defence and players should arrive quickly and know exactly their role and not deviate from it. The players immediately surrounding the ruck should always be the most vocal at this point. When the ball is played in league or recycled in Union, your players should always move forward quickly and together, as a defensive line.

In terms of line defence, playing a cautious game is probably the best tactic for younger players, who need to learn discipline. As such, the team should play as a solid line, with no one breaking out to make tackles – one missed tackle could spell disaster. The line should be set quickly to avoid giving the opposition any breaks and all forward movement should be done together. Every man should know his place and ensure there is correct spacing. All of this is difficult to get right and relies on excellent communication – make sure your team has a full set of calls and are extremely vocal in a defensive  situation.