Sailor and collier around a river (7)
I believe the answer is:
mariner
'sailor' is the definition.
(mariner means a sailor)
'collier around a river' is the wordplay.
'collier' becomes 'miner' (I've seen this before).
'around' is an insertion indicator.
'river' becomes 'r' (abbreviation for river).
'a'+'r'='ar'
'miner' enclosing 'ar' is 'MARINER'.
'and' is the link.
(Other definitions for mariner that I've seen before include "'''The Rime of the Ancient ...'' (Coleridge) (7)'" , "Man of the sea" , "Person sailing" , "See 13" , "Probe" .)