AT TIMES Justin Tipuric must feel he has been invited for a job interview for a position that has already been filled.

The openside flanker has won 25 caps for Wales but regardless of his exploits with the Ospreys is unable to break up the triumvirate of Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton and Taulupe Faletau.

The 25-year-old has made nine starts for his country but has got used to being an impact sub in the big games.

That was the case last weekend when he got five minutes off the bench against Australia, enough time make two runs and gain more yards than Lydiate and Faletau combined.

On Saturday Tipuric will wear 7 on his back while captain Sam Warburton, Wales' best player against the Wallabies, takes a rest.

If he puts in a big display then he could at least make boss Warren Gatland considering shifting his skipper to blindside but Tipuric isn't getting carried away and is relishing the chance to earn another cap.

"It's not about me. It's about the team. As long as I do my job, I'm happy," said the Ospreys man.

"Sam played really well against Australia, Lyds put in his tackles, and Toby's work-rate was phenomenal as usual.

"He was up there with the highest ball-carries, clean-outs and tackles. He just keeps on ticking along. He doesn't really get much praise for it.

"The boys were all good and they were up against Michael Hooper, who's probably the best in the world."

Tipuric will attempt to give Gatland a headache but has had a disrupted season after suffering a bang against Munster.

"The incident itself was nothing, a collision with someone's hip," he said. "Nine times out of ten I would have got up and been fine. But it caught me at an angle and I had a little bit of a tickle to the brain.

"The tests are not easy to pass. There's one immediately after the bump when you have to try to walk straight on a white line. Then there are some on a computer.

"You have to go through them when you feel the headaches have gone. It's a long process but the tests are there for our safety."

Tipuric will be charged with keeping teammate Josh Matavesi, who plays in midfield for the Ospreys but will wear 10 for Fiji, in check and he believes the dangerous Islanders will provide a stern test for the Welsh defence.

"They have a few X-factor players who can create something out of nothing, so we'll have to be switched on all the time," he said.