LOVE & FRIENDSHIP

BBC Two, 11.20pm; not Wales

Whit Stillman’s adaptation of an early Jane Austen curio, her long-unpublished epistolary novel Lady Susan, opens out the adulterous games of Austen’s smart and surprisingly risqué text, and elaborates on them with impish, often breathlessly funny verve. Kate Beckinsale springs back to form with a deliciously controlled performance. Chloë Sevigny, Xavier Samuel and Stephen Fry are all good in support.

The World Cup moves on this week, with a range of events. First, the men are in Val d’Isère, France, for the giant slalom, while the women are in St Moritz, Switzerland, for the super giant slalom (Eurosport 1, 9.33am). The men’s action continues in St Moritz on Sunday with the slalom (Eurosport 2, 8am). Next, on Tuesday, the women’s circuit heads to the French resort of Courchevel for a giant slalom event (Eurosport 1, 9.20am), and on Friday, the men arrive in northern Italy, for the super giant slalom in Val Gardena (Eurosport 1, 10.35am). Austrian Matthias Mayer leads the men’s standings, while the USA’S Mikaela Shiffrin is again the woman to beat.

Champions Cup Pool A clash, Chris Boyd and his team will need to turn in an improved performance against an Irish side who are four-time European champions and last year’s runners-up. Leinster look in ominous form already, able to absorb pressure and to punish their rivals’ (many) mistakes. BT Sport hosts other matches over the course of the weekend. semi-finals are held on Saturday (Eurosport 1, 12.45pm), then the final itself is on Sunday afternoon.

2016

These two heavyweight sides are both ailing. Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues are in third, 14 points off runaway leaders Liverpool, while Arsenal are in ninth and helmed by temporary coach Freddie Ljungberg in the aftermath of Unai Emery’s departure. A loss for either side could be a fatal blow to their season. On Saturday, Liverpool host Watford, the league’s last-placed side (BT Sport 1, noon; kick-off 12.30pm); on Sunday, Manchester United welcome another side without a manager, Everton, to Old Trafford (SS Main Event/Premier League, 1pm; kick-off 2pm). Then, in a much-trailed fixture, Liverpool play Aston Villa in the League Cup quarter-final on Tuesday (SS Main Event/SS Football, 7.30pm; kick-off 7.45pm) before playing a semi-final in the Club World Cup in Doha on Wednesday (BBC Two, 5.15pm; kick-off 5.30pm).

There are several dressage events this week at London Olympia, airing each day from Tuesday via the Red Button. Charlotte Dujardin will ride Mount St John Freestyle; the pairing could win her a fourth Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020.

Northampton coach Chris Boyd Sat, Channel 4, 4.35pm