Masseur is initially expected to put on protective coat (9)

'coat' is the definition.
(I know that coat is the is a more specific form of the action of rubberise.)

'masseur is initially expected to put on' is the wordplay.
'masseur' becomes 'rubber' (a masseur rubs someone's body).
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
'to put on' means one lot of letters go next to another (some letters go on or after others).
The first letter of 'expected' is 'e'.
'rubber'+'is'+'e'='RUBBERISE'

'protective' acts as a link.
This may not be correct. It may be part of another bit of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?