Captain Gus McCarthy, Ruadhan Quinn and Sam Prendergast all return to the Ireland side to face South Africa in the World Rugby U20 Championship semi-final on Sunday.
In all head coach Richie Murphy makes nine changes to the team that beat Fiji 47-27 in their final pool game on Tuesday, a match played against the backdrop of the deaths of Greig Oliver, father of scrum-half Jack, and two pupils from St Michael's College, where six of the squad went to school, in two separate incidents in Greece.
Ireland face hosts South Africa at Athlone Stadium, just outside Cape Town, at 3.30pm (Irish time), before France and England meet in the second semi-final at 6pm.
There is a welcome return for back row Quinn, who missed the last game after suffering a head injury in the victory over Australia, while Prendergast steps up from the bench to come back in at out-half.
Henry McErlean, Andrew Osborne and James Nicholson make up the Ireland back three, with Hugh Gavin and John Devine named in midfield. In the half backs, Prendergast and Fintan Gunne return to the side to resume their partnership.
Up front, Paddy McCarthy, skipper McCarthy and Ronan Foxe return to the pack, with Charlie Irvine partnering Conor O'Tighearnaigh in the second row.
In the back row, Diarmuid Mangan is at blindside flanker, Quinn at openside and Brian Gleeson wears the number 8 jersey.
Murphy has a strong replacements bench to choose from with Danny Sheahan, man of the match in Tuesday’s win over Fiji, George Hadden, Fiachna Barrett, Evan O’Connell and Dan Barron providing the forward options, while Oscar Cawley, Matthew Lynch and Sam Berman complete the Ireland 23.
Meanwhile, Junior Boks coach Bafana Nhleko has named an unchanged team from the side that beat Argentina 24-16 in their final pool game.
He said: "We know Ireland is an extremely consistent side, both in performance, selection and their style of play, and we did not want to tinker too much ourselves as we have found some of the same in the last match."
Ireland U20: Henry McErlean; Andrew Osborne, Hugh Gavin, John Devine, James Nicholson; Sam Prendergast, Fintan Gunne; Paddy McCarthy, Gus McCarthy, Ronan Foxe; Charlie Irvine, Conor O'Tighearnaigh; Diarmuid Mangan, Ruadhan Quinn, Brian Gleeson.
Replacements: Danny Sheahan, George Hadden, Fiachna Barrett, Evan O'Connell, Dan Barron, Oscar Cawley, Matthew Lynch, Sam Berman.
South Africa U20: Hakeem Kunene; Jurenzo Julius, Katlego Letebele, Ethan Hooker, Michael Annies; Jean Smith, Imad Khan; Corné Lavagna, Juann Else, Dian Heunis; Coetzee le Roux, JF van Heerden; Paul de Villiers (capt), Ghudian van Reenen, Corné Beets.
Replacements: SJ Kotze, Phatu Ganyane, Zachary Porthen, Jannes Potgieter, Abulele Ndabambi, Asad Moos, Damian Markus, Regan Izaks.
Follow a live blog of South Africa v Ireland on RTÉ Sport Online and the RTÉ News app from 3pm on Sunday
