Alan Quinlan is set to make his first appearance of the season for Munstger when Tony McGahan's side seek to maintain their unbeaten start to the Magner's League campaign against Cardiff on Saturday evening.
The Ireland international was named in the Munster squad for the match at Musgrave Park (7.30pm) having missed the opening win over Edinburgh and last weekend's demolition of Newport-Gwent.
Tommy Bowe, meanwhile, is back in the Ospreys team and will face a sizeable Ireland contingent when he takes to the field against champions Leinster at the RDS on Friday (7.35pm).
The Ireland wing has impressed his new employers since his move from Ulster, scoring one try in the win over Cardiff, but he sat out the narrow victory over Glasgow last time out.
His replacement that day, Jonny Vaughton, is back on the bench as the Welsh team face the first real test of their credentials against a side that looked to be clicking ominously into gear when defeating Edinburgh at home last week.
Unfortunately for coach Sean Holley the game comes too soon for injured Wales internationals Shane Williams and Mike Phillips, so Nikki Walker continues on the left wing and Rhys Webb comes in at scrumhalf after Jamie Nutbrown suffered a foot injury.
"Friday night looks likely to be a cracking occasion, two in form sides locking horns in front of a near sell-out crowd," said Holley today. "We're all really excited about it, it's matches like this that we are all involved in rugby for. The matches between the two of us have generally tended to be close affairs over the years and I wouldn't expect it to be any different this time around.
"When you look at the Leinster side, they are the Magners League champions, they are packed with quality and experience and they have threats right across the field so the size of the challenge that lies ahead of us if we are to get a result there on Friday night is clear.
"They have forwards who seem to deliver week in week out, a first class defence and individuals of real ability behind so we know that we have to be on top of our game.
"However, we go into the game with confidence high after three straight wins and I don't doubt for one minute that they will look at the side that we've named today and think exactly the same thing so it's bound to be an intriguing clash."
Prop Paul James will make a record 102nd appearance should he come off the bench on Friday.
Munster: D Hurley, D Howlett, L Mafi, B Murphy, R Tipoki, I Dowling, P Stringer, M Prendergast, J Manning R O'Gara, T Buckley, F Pucciariello, J Hayes, J Flannery, D Fogarty, P O'Connell, D Ryan, M O'Driscoll, A Quinlan, J O'Sullivan, N Ronan, J Melck.
Ospreys: L Byrne; T Bowe, S Parker, A Bishop, N Walker; J Hook, R Webb; R Jones, S Tandy, J Thomas; I Evans, AW Jones; A Jones, H Bennett, D Jones. Replacements: E Shervington, P James, I Gough, F Tiatia, R Wells, D Biggar, J Vaughton
