That is awfully harmful for a footballer (5,4)

I believe the answer is:

scrum half

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'a footballer' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?

'that is awfully harmful' is the wordplay.
'that is' becomes 'sc' (abbrv. for Latin scilicet; 'namely').
'awfully' indicates anagramming the letters.
'harmful' anagrammed gives 'rumhalf'.
'sc'+'rumhalf'='SCRUM-HALF'

'for' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for scrum half that I've seen is " Rugby player -- March's flu (anag)".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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