 He spent most of his first professional spell as a right back, still managing to score six goals although the side eventually suffered relegation.Rauffmann continued to play in that tier in the next three years, now for SV Meppen where he made the transition to forward.In 1995, he joined Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, making his debut in the competition on 12 August in the season's opener against Karlsruher SC and netting in a 2–2 home draw; he was fairly used during the course of the campaign, but again dropped down a level.