Centre Rua Tipoki has recovered sufficiently to be named in the Munster squad for the Magners League clash with Ulster on Saturday, but Paul O'Connell is omitted.
A knee injury has ruled the New Zealander out since the clash with the All Blacks on November 18, but he returns ahead of schedule to a 25-man party.
Kieran Lewis, Ronan O'Gara, Denis Fogarty, Jerry Flannery, Donncha O'Callaghan and John O'Sullivan all return to the squad, having missed the game against Connacht.
However, Munster rest Paul O'Connell, Marcus Horan, Tomas O'Leary and Ian Dowling for the upcoming trip to the Ospreys.
Munster team manager Shaun Payne said: "This is a busy time of year, with a succession of very important, very intense games.
"So it's important we use our resources prudently not alone for our own sake but also keeping in mind the international players' workload with the Six Nations just a little over four weeks away."