1. The Boat Race may not look very interesting at first. After all, everyone seems to be doing the same thing!
2. The Boat Race may not look very interesting at first, for everyone seems to be doing the same thing!
3. The Boat Race may not look very interesting at first. At any rate, everyone seems to be doing the same thing!
4. The Boat Race may not look very interesting at first. Anyway, everyone seems to be doing the same thing!
(Are they all the same in meaning?)
1 and 2 mean the same thing, but 3 and 4 do not.
"At any rate" and "Anyway" are awkward transitions to use here.