Richie Murphy says Ireland won't make any changes to their tackle approach despite losing three players to suspension in the World Rugby Under-20s Championship in two games.
Hugh Cooney, Rory Telfer and James McNabney have all been suspended after disciplinary hearings for dangerous challenges during the draw against England and the win over Australia.
Centre Cooney is out for the rest of the campaign, while wing Telfer and back row McNabney will become available again for the final round after applying to tackle school, which reduces their bans from three to two games.
In addition, Ruadhan Quinn is going through the return-to-play protocols after a sickening head collision while carrying the ball into contact against Australia's Ned Slack-Smith; Junior Wallabies coach Nathan Grey said the Irish back row headbutted the flanker.
Head coach Murphy says they are hopeful that Quinn might be available for a semi-final, if they qualify.
A win against Fiji tomorrow (12.30pm) would be enough for Ireland to reach the last four as the Pool B winner or the best runner-up.
"Nobody is intentionally tackling high, we are not teaching guys to tackle high," Murphy told RTÉ Sport.
"Guys closing space and how that changes, the dynamic of the tackle is an interesting factor.
"Obviously, the head contacts that we’ve had, I don’t think any of them have been intentional. James McNabney’s one, in particular, there are other people in that vicinity which cause distraction for him on his arrival into that tackle area.
"It is what it is. We are not going to get too deep on it. We don’t teach the lads how to tackle high so it’s really important we keep doing what we are doing.
"I think we’ve probably been unlucky in certain ways, the way we’ve lost three players to that."
On Quinn's situation, he said: "He was removed by the match-day doctor, since being removed he has passed his HIA 2 and 3 so he has to be assessed by a external doctor and we'll see how he is from there.
"We’re not quite sure whether he’d be out for the semi-final or not yet, if we get there."
Murphy also confirmed that Munster back Josh Costello had been called up to the squad, while Harry West, who was due to start at full-back tomorrow against Fiji, was injured in training. His place is taken by Henry McErlean, while Hugh Gavin is among the replacements.
The original team named had 11 changes to the side that beat Australia with Sam Prendergast starting on the bench and Matthew Lynch getting the nod at out-half.
Captain Diarmuid Mangan spoke highly of the Terenure man.
He said: "Matty, being from Leinster as well, him and Sam play quite similarly in ways, under Mark (Sexton, backs coach) and Richie, so I think everyone is pretty comfortable that Matty will slot in seamlessly.
"We train well as a group during the week and everyone is looking forward to seeing what the new lads can do tomorrow."
There are six former St Michael’s College students in the Ireland squad and Murphy passed on condolences to the families of Max Wall and Andrew O'Donnell, who died in tragic circumstances in Greece over the weekend.
"It’s a really tough time," he said.
"Obviously, we are massively devastated to hear of the passing of Max Wall and Andrew O’Donnell, two boys from St Michael’s.
"We have a number St Michael’s guys here in the squad, who know them well.
"And as a father of kids around that age and an Irishman I feel really devastated for them and we’d like to offer our condolences to the Wall and O’Donnell family."
Ireland U20: Henry McErlean; James Nicholson, Sam Berman, John Devine, Andrew Osborne; Matthew Lynch, Oscar Cawley; George Hadden, Danny Sheahan, Fiachna Barrett; Evan O'Connell, Joe Hopes; Diarmuid Mangan, Dan Barron, Brian Gleeson.
Replacements: Max Clein, George Morris, Ronan Foxe, Charlie Irvine, Gus McCarthy, Jack Oliver, Sam Prendergast, Hugh Gavin.
Follow a live blog of Ireland v Fiji on RTÉ Sport Online and the RTÉ News app from 12.15pm on Tuesday
