Riva injured during Bombers practice

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This article was published 31/07/2012 (4815 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Injuries and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Wash, rinse, repeat.

The Blue and Gold watched another running back go down at practice at Canad Inns Stadium Tuesday afternoon when non-import Nathan Riva had to be helped off the field with a right hamstring injury. The 22-year-old, who joined the Bombers earlier in the season and has been on the active 42-man roster for the last three games.

“That’s not a very good injury for us,” head coach Paul LaPolice said after practice.

After starter Chad Simpson — who sat out Tuesday to heal up his bumps and bruises — Winnipeg is beaten up at the running back spot, specifically in the back-up role usually reserved for a Canadian player.

Carl Volny is still returning from injury (the club says he’s nursing a hamstring injury) so his status is up in the air, and Anthony Woodson, who looked good in a Bombers uniform to start the season, might be out for the year with a shoulder injury.

That left Riva on the roster, until he pulled up lame Tuesday.

If Volny is a no-go for Friday’s game against Montreal (7:30 p.m.), LaPolice confirmed the club will have to look at using one of its ‘designated import’ spots on Will Ford, who’s been on the practice roster. Winnipeg hasn’t used a DI spot on offence yet this season.

“I don’t know if Carl is ready,” the coach said. “We’ll see. (Riva) would be our third Canadian tailback injured, so that’s a difficult thing. Ford may have to go.”

Canadian fullback Jordan Matechuk also found his way into the injury discussion Tuesday. He left practice with a hand injury. He was getting x-rays after practice, LaPolice said.

The Bombers made a roster move Tuesday, releasing import linebacker Dustin Doe. The Florida-product had 18 total tackles and an interception in five games with Winnipeg – some of that time coming as the starting weak-side linebacker (replacing an injured Marcellus Bowman).

LaPolice said Doe was just too inconsistent in recent weeks and that play led to his release. Henoc Muamba and Terrell Parker now back up Bowman at the linebacker position.