Rebuts strange beasts

I believe the answer is:

brutes

'beasts' is the definition.
(I know this)

'rebuts strange' is the wordplay.
'strange' indicates anagramming the letters.
'rebuts' is an anagram of 'BRUTES'.

(Other definitions for brutes that I've seen before include "Beasts" , "Animals other than humans (6)" , "Savages" , "Savagely violent men or animals" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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